Читать книгу All Night Long - Anne Mather - Страница 8

THE restaurant was busy and the head waiter was more than happy to free up one of his smaller tables by seating them together. The table he gave them was against the far wall, with a trellis of ornamental greenery giving an added touch of privacy. Ally wasn’t at all sure she appreciated being made to feel as if they were indulging in some kind of squalid assignation, and although she allowed herself to be seated, she couldn’t help glancing about her, sure that their unlikely liaison must be the cynosure of all eyes.

But nobody seemed interested in them. The other diners were too busy getting on with their own lives to pay any attention to the two people who were sharing the table that was half hidden by the trellis. Forcing herself to calm down, she smoothed her moist palms over the skirt of her dress.

‘Stop looking as if you’d rather be any place than here,’ said Raul mildly, after the waiter had placed two folded menus on the table. ‘You’re beginning to give me a complex.’

Ally pulled a wry face. ‘Oh, right.’

‘I mean it.’ His eyes were amused. ‘I have to tell you, I don’t usually have to force the women I’m attracted to to endure my company.’

Ally’s mouth dried at the unexpected compliment, but she chose not to acknowledge it. ‘I bet you don’t,’ she said, wishing she could be a little more spontaneous. ‘Um—I’ve never been here before.’

‘Where? The airport, or this restaurant?’

‘This restaurant,’ she clarified. ‘I have flown out of Heathrow before. We—that is—’ She had been about to mention Jeff and she bit her careless tongue with impatience. ‘As a family,’ she amended. ‘We’ve been to the Greek Islands and to Florida.’

‘Disneyworld?’ he suggested and she smiled.

‘Yes. Sam and Ryan loved it.’

He frowned. ‘Ryan? That would be your—?’

‘My son,’ put in Ally quickly. ‘Sam and Ryan are twins.’

‘I see.’ He paused. ‘So you have two children?’

‘That’s right.’ Ally caught her lower lip between her teeth. ‘So now you know all about me.’

‘Hardly,’ he murmured, but she couldn’t help wondering what he was thinking and whether the knowledge that she had two children somehow diminished her attraction in his eyes.

Which was ridiculous, she chided herself swiftly. No matter what he’d said, she didn’t believe he really was attracted to her. He just found her a novelty, that was all. Perhaps this was just his evening to be kind to dogs and fortyish matrons.

The arrival of the wine waiter to ask if they’d like anything to drink gave her a few moments to collect her thoughts, and after he’d departed to get the bottle of wine Raul had ordered, there was the menu to study.

It was difficult to decide what to eat. Despite the fact that the pounds had dropped off her in the last couple of years, she was still acutely conscious of being overweight. In recent weeks her appetite had been practically non-existent and she’d only eaten at all to satisfy Sam’s concern about her. In consequence, her eyes were drawn to the vegetarian dishes, and after some consideration she chose asparagus soup and stuffed avocado with Hollandaise sauce.

‘Are you a vegetarian?’ Raul asked curiously when she was forced to tell him her selection and Ally managed a rueful smile.

‘No.’

‘But you prefer vegetarian food?’

Ally sighed. ‘I’m just not very hungry,’ she murmured, putting the menu aside. ‘What are you having?’

Raul shrugged. ‘Something simple, I guess. Salad followed by a steak sounds good to me.’

Actually, it sounded good to Ally, too, but the thought of all those calories gave her pause. Besides, there was no guarantee that she’d be able to eat anything. She was so nervous about being here in the first place.

The wine was brought, and their individual meals were ordered, and Ally did her best to relax. It was definitely easier with a glass of Chardonnay in her hand, and she decided it was time he answered a few questions for a change.

‘You don’t live in England, do you?’ she ventured, rather daringly, and his long lashes shaded his eyes.

‘What makes you say that?’

‘Well…’ She could hardly mention his tan. That was too personal. ‘Your accent,’ she exclaimed, with some relief. ‘It doesn’t sound wholly British to me.’

His teeth were very white against his dark skin. ‘You wound me,’ he murmured, but his smile revealed he was only teasing her. ‘I thought I spoke very good English.’

‘You do.’ She hurried to reassure him. ‘Just sometimes—’ She broke off, losing her nerve. ‘I’m sorry. It’s nothing to do with me.’

‘Why not?’ His eyes on her mouth brought a return of the panic she had felt earlier. ‘I don’t mind telling you. My home is almost in the Caribbean and both my father and mother are of Spanish-American descent.’

‘Oh.’ Ally took a nervous sip of her wine, and then added rather recklessly, ‘I’m going to the Caribbean, too. Tomorrow. Well, to Nassau, anyway. I suppose that’s not strictly the Caribbean either, is it?’

‘Not strictly,’ he conceded. ‘But near enough.’ He paused. ‘Are you going on holiday?’

Ally pressed her lips together, wishing she hadn’t been quite so outspoken. But it was too late now, so— ‘Yes,’ she admitted unwillingly. And then, because she felt the need to explain that she wasn’t one of those sad people who holiday alone, ‘I’m going to stay with friends.’

‘In Nassau?’

No, San Cristobál.

But Ally didn’t contradict him. ‘Yes, Nassau,’ she lied, looking down into her glass as she spoke in case her eyes betrayed her. ‘Have you been there?’

‘Oh, yeah.’ He was laconic. ‘I’ve been there. I’ve been all over the Caribbean. My—that is, the company I work for charters sailing craft to travel firms and private individuals. I used to spend holidays crewing on sloops and schooners.’

Ally was intrigued. ‘It sounds fun.’

‘It was.’ He nodded. ‘Hard work, too, particularly if we ran into bad weather.’

‘Hurricanes, you mean?’ Ally’s eyes were wide.

‘Hardly.’ His lips twitched. ‘You don’t try to outrun a hurricane. But, if the barometer’s falling, and you’ve got a party of inexperienced tourists on board, you make for the nearest landfall.’

‘I see.’ Ally felt foolish.

‘That’s not to say we didn’t encounter a squall from time to time,’ he assured her gently. ‘It rains, you know, even in the Caribbean.’

Ally managed a small smile. ‘Not a lot, I hope.’

‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘And not usually at this time of year. I guess you’ll be glad to leave the cold weather behind.’

‘Mmm.’ Ally relaxed again, the anticipation of spending the rest of January and most of February in a warmer climate bringing its own excitement. ‘I’ve never been to the Caribbean before.’

‘You’ll love it,’ he told her, as the waiter arrived with their first course. ‘Plenty of sunshine, warm seas, and some of the best seafood in the world.’

Ally smiled, picking up her spoon to tackle her soup. ‘No place for a vegetarian, then?’ she murmured drily.

‘No.’ His eyes showed his amusement. ‘Do you think I’m biased?’

‘Why wouldn’t you be?’

‘Yeah.’ He forked up a mouthful of his green salad. ‘I have to admit, I’d hate to live anywhere else.’

Ally licked her lips. ‘Have you been on holiday in England?’ she asked, amazed at the ease with which the words slipped off her tongue. But, what the hell? she thought determinedly. She was never likely to see him again, and he was so easy to talk to.

‘Actually, I’ve been in London on business,’ he replied, evidently not offended by her question. ‘I came to visit the Boat Show at Earl’s Court. Do you know it?’

‘Well, I know Earl’s Court,’ said Ally, crumbling the roll the waiter had left on her plate. ‘But I’ve never been to the Boat Show. I don’t live in London, you see. I live in the north of England. That’s why I’m spending the night here. It would have been too much of a gamble to risk connecting with my flight in the morning.’

‘Ah.’ He gave an understanding nod. ‘So your holiday’s begun a day early.’

‘You could say that.’ Ally realised she had finished her soup and felt a moment’s surprise. Talking to Raul, she had completely forgotten the problems she’d been having with eating and she half wished she’d taken a chance and ordered a steak, after all. She replaced her spoon and took a mouthful of her wine before continuing. ‘That was lovely.’

‘I’m glad you enjoyed it.’

‘Oh, I did.’ Ally propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her linked hands. Then, feeling quite expansive, she added, ‘As a matter of fact, I haven’t had much of an appetite lately. Not since—not since—well, all the fuss.’

Raul regarded her thoughtfully. ‘The divorce?’ he ventured softly, and she found herself nodding her agreement.

‘It was so—ugly,’ she said, with a shudder, hardly aware that the amount she had drunk was loosening her tongue. ‘We had to sell the house, move into a much smaller semi. And because Sam and Ryan are at college, I’ve had to do most of the organising on my own.’

‘Tough.’ Raul was sympathetic. ‘Why couldn’t your—ex-husband lend a hand?’

‘Jeff?’ Ally grimaced. ‘He wasn’t there. He left for Canada before the decree nisi. He’s always wanted to travel, and if—when—he marries Kelly he’ll probably apply for a Canadian passport.’

Raul frowned. ‘What does your husband do?’

‘Do? As in, for a living?’ She pulled a face. ‘He’s a biology teacher.’

‘Biology?’

Raul grinned and suddenly Ally was grinning, too. ‘Yes. Ironic, isn’t it?’ She stifled a laugh. ‘You show me yours and I’ll show you mine.’

‘So this woman you mentioned, she’s a teacher, too?’

‘Mmm.’ Ally bent her head, aware that she was being far too familiar, and tried to tone the conversation down. ‘She—er—she came to Jeff’s school on one of those exchange schemes. According to him it was love at first sight.’

‘You don’t believe it?’

‘Oh, no.’ Ally looked up, her eyes widening. ‘I believe it. She’s one of those petite blondes that all men seem to find irresistible. Well, men of a certain age anyway.’

‘I don’t,’ said Raul at once, and Ally gave him a retiring look.

‘You’re not as old as Jeff,’ she said. ‘Give it time.’

‘I don’t need to.’ Raul studied her face with disturbing intensity. ‘I wouldn’t leave you for a bleached blonde.’

Ally dimpled. ‘How do you know she was a bleached blonde?’

‘Aren’t they always?’ Raul waited until the waiter had removed their plates before continuing, ‘Desperate women, who can’t get a man of their own so they resort to stealing someone else’s.’

‘I don’t think Jeff put up much opposition,’ said Ally wryly, and Raul shrugged.

‘More fool him.’

She giggled then. ‘You’re awfully good for my ego, do you know that?’

‘I aim to please.’

‘Yes, you do, don’t you?’ The colour in her cheeks deepened becomingly. ‘I wonder why?’

Now it was Raul’s turn to pull a face. ‘That sounds suspiciously like a criticism,’ he remarked drily. ‘Has no one told you what an attractive woman you are?’

‘Not recently, no,’ Ally admitted. ‘Who are you? Some kind of guardian angel employed to comfort lonely women?’

‘My name’s Raul, not Gabriel,’ he retorted, refilling her wine glass. ‘Believe it or not, this is the first time I’ve invited a woman I’d never met before to have dinner with me. I know you think I’m stringing you a line, but I’m not. I genuinely am enjoying myself.’

‘So’m I.’ Ally looked down into her glass, amazed at her own audacity. ‘I’m glad you asked me to have dinner with you.’

‘Yeah. Me, too,’ he conceded, touching his glass to hers. ‘Here’s to us.’

‘To us,’ she repeated obediently, wishing they had longer than tonight to get to know one another better, and was aware of him watching her as she sipped her wine.

The main course was just as delicious as the first, although in all honesty Ally was hardly aware of what she was eating. Afterwards, all she remembered was that Raul had offered her a taste of his steak, and the intimacy of sharing his food had extinguished everything else.

She also knew she had never been as relaxed with a man in her life. Not even Jeff, who had usually dominated their conversations with his work, his problems. Looking back, she was forced to acknowledge that although she had always thought they had a good marriage, it had hardly been a partnership in the real sense of the word. For years, she’d let Jeff make all the decisions and, because she’d seldom objected, he’d begun to believe that she didn’t have an opinion of her own.

Still, she could hardly blame him for that…

She declined a dessert and, instead of staying at the table, they went to have their coffee in the adjoining lounge. They were shown to a table in the shade of a palm. There were two comfortable armchairs and a low sofa set around the table and Ally chose the sofa, expecting Raul to take one of the armchairs opposite.

But he didn’t.

‘You don’t mind, do you?’ he asked, when his thigh brushed against hers as he seated himself beside her. She managed to get, ‘Not at all,’ past the sudden constriction in her throat. She was intensely aware of his closeness, however, and of the fact that his weight depressed the cushion beneath her hip.

‘I suppose you’re staying at the hotel, too,’ she said quickly, to distract herself from the powerful length of his legs that he was forced to fold beneath the table, and Raul waited until the waiter had served their coffee before replying.

‘Fourth floor,’ he told her easily. ‘How about you?’

‘Oh, I’m staying here—’

‘I know that.’ The look he gave her assured her that he hadn’t been deceived by her attempt at subterfuge. ‘Which floor?’

‘I—the first, I think.’

‘Don’t you know?’

Of course she did. And it wasn’t the first.

Pretending to be indignant, she exclaimed, ‘Naturally I know which floor my room’s on.’

Raul’s eyes were far too discerning. ‘I happen to know the first floor is given over to offices and conference suites,’ he remarked levelly. ‘If you don’t want to tell me where your room is, okay. You don’t have to lie about it, Diana.’

Diana!

Ally felt awful. ‘I—my name’s not Diana,’ she admitted weakly. ‘It’s Ally. Ally Sloan.’

‘No kidding?’

He didn’t sound surprised and she looked at him a little warily. ‘You knew?’

‘Well, if you were prepared to lie about which floor your room was on—’

‘I wasn’t lying, exactly.’

‘No.’ He was sceptical. ‘Don’t tell me, they’re accommodating you in one of the banqueting halls?’

‘You don’t have to be sarcastic,’ she said, hurt by his tone. ‘If I were better at this I wouldn’t have chosen that floor in the first place.’

‘Why would you want to be better at lying to people?’ he demanded in a low disturbing voice. ‘Have I given you any reason to be suspicious of me?’

‘No.’ Ally’s tongue circled her lips in innocent provocation. ‘But I didn’t know that when you spoke to me in the bar.’

Raul’s eyes darkened. ‘And you feel you know me better now?’

Ally swallowed. ‘Well—yes.’

His smile troubled her, but before she had had a chance to wonder what it meant, his hand covering hers in her lap drove all other thoughts out of her head. ‘I’m glad,’ he said, and she was supremely conscious of his knuckles digging into her thigh, causing a wave of heat to dart upwards into her groin. ‘You don’t have to be afraid of me.’

‘I’m not.’

The words came out automatically but she wasn’t at all sure she believed them. Something was warning her that he hadn’t been completely honest with her either, and while it was easy to put it down to her own over-active imagination, she still found his attention hard to justify. She simply wasn’t the type to attract a man like him—a man as young as him—and she wasn’t sure how he expected her to proceed.

But he was attractive, and the hand holding hers in her lap was strong and masculine. It reminded her that it had been too long since she’d had a man’s hands on her body, and she wondered what he would say if she confessed that she’d only ever been to bed with one man in her entire life. She was hopelessly naïve when it came to the way men and women conducted themselves today, and although Sam had done her best to educate her, she’d never expect her mother to find herself in a situation like this.

However, thinking about Sam made her realise how shocked her daughter would be if she could see her now. It was one thing for Sam to expound the sexual advantages women enjoyed today and quite another for her to face the fact that her mother was still a comparatively young woman and might be sexually attracted to some other man. Sam was disgusted with her father’s behaviour but that didn’t mean she’d forgive her mother’s transgressions, even if the circumstances were totally different now.

Tugging her fingers out of Raul’s grasp, Ally took refuge in her coffee, almost spilling it when he squeezed her thigh. As he did so, all the bones in her limbs turned to water and a pulse she’d hardly been aware of before beat insistently between her legs. Dear God, she thought, did he know what he was doing to her; had he guessed how emotionally starved she was?

‘Would you like another drink?’

To her relief, he removed his hand from her thigh and contented himself with turning sideways to face her. His knee nudged her leg and she had to steel herself not to move away. But perhaps another drink wasn’t a bad idea, she thought breathlessly. It might help to calm the nerves jumping in her stomach.

‘Why not?’ she said, promising herself she’d have one more drink and then say goodnight. She wanted to be up bright and early in the morning. After all the effort Suzanne had made, the least she could do was not to miss the plane.

Raul summoned the waiter and ordered himself a Scotch over ice and Ally another vodka and tonic. Even the drink she’d chosen was a cliché, she thought impatiently. Why couldn’t she have ordered a champagne cocktail or a spritzer?

She noticed that Raul had put one arm along the back of the sofa now and she wished she had the nerve to sit back in her seat and see what he would do. As it was, she was perched on the edge of the cushions, her knees pressed tightly together.

The waiter returned with their drinks and Ally picked up her glass and took a reassuring gulp. But she had the feeling it would take more than another drink to make her relax. She was far too tense for relaxation; far too aware of him and the temptation he evinced.

‘So what made you decide to go to the Bahamas?’ he asked, lifting his own drink to his lips.

‘Oh—you know.’ Ally shrugged, collecting her thoughts. ‘Sam thought it would be a good idea for me to have a holiday.’

‘Your daughter?’

‘Mmm.’ She smiled. ‘Like I said, she feels she has to look after me.’

‘I’m not surprised.’ Raul regarded her gently. ‘You have that effect on people.’

‘Oh, I don’t think—’

‘I mean it.’ To her consternation, she felt the brush of his fingers against her nape. ‘You’re very appealing, Ally. It’s quite a novelty to meet a woman who is so lacking in self-conceit.’

Ally blushed. She couldn’t help it. ‘You’re just trying to embarrass me now,’ she accused him uncomfortably. She picked up her glass again. ‘When I’ve had this, I’m going to have to say goodnight.’

Raul glanced at the narrow gold watch on his wrist. ‘It’s early yet,’ he protested.

‘For you, maybe.’ Ally caught herself before she admitted that she was usually in bed by half-past ten these days. She glanced behind her. ‘I just want to speak to the waiter first.’

‘The waiter?’

‘In the restaurant,’ Ally explained. Then, with a certain amount of reticence, ‘I want to ask him to add the cost of my dinner to my room bill, that’s all.’ She looked round again. ‘I wonder where he is?’

‘It’s dealt with.’ Raul took a deep breath as Ally turned confused eyes in his direction. ‘I signed the bill before we left the restaurant.’

‘Oh, but—’

‘I hope you’re not going to embarrass me by refusing to let me buy your dinner,’ he said mildly. ‘It was my pleasure. As I said before, this has been a very pleasant evening.’

‘For me, too,’ said Ally impulsively, and he tugged on a strand of her hair.

‘Then perhaps you’ll allow me to escort you to your room?’ he suggested, causing her stomach to plunge uncertainly. He grinned. ‘I’m sure Sam would approve.’

Ally was equally sure that Sam wouldn’t, but she could hardly say that. Not when he had been kind enough to pay for her drinks and her dinner, and for the wine she had consumed so freely throughout the meal. So, ‘All right,’ she agreed, a little breathily, and forced herself not to flinch when he put a hand in the small of her back as he guided her out of the lounge a few minutes later.