'Let me help you up,' Victoria fussed frantically. 'Please, Zac.'
She wasn't making it any better, she could tell from the way he closed his eyes for an infinitesimal moment before he said, with a remarkable lack of expression, 'I can manage perfectly well, Victoria. I've had a small bang on the head, that's all.' But then, as he rose to his feet and his face went white, her arms went round him anyway before he shrugged her off and stepped through the door into the fresh air of the large rear sundeck.
She watched him breathe deeply for a few seconds before she said, her voice quivering, 'Shall I get you a drink?'
'Please.' And his voice was more Zac-like as he added, his tone dark and sardonic, 'And I don't want a soft drink in case you're wondering. I'll force a glassful of that excellent champagne down. They tell me there's nothing like it when you've been beaten up by the woman in your life.'
'I didn't lay a hand on you,' Victoria protested quickly, utterly mortified he was making her out to be some sort of female thug.
'I don't know if that makes it worse or better.'
It was Zac who opened the bottle of champagne, and Victoria joined him in a small glass of the delicious, effervescent wine because she felt she needed something stronger than fresh orange juice. The sight of his still body lying at her feet was something she would never forget until her dying day, she thought soberly as Zac started the engine—despite her protestation that he should take it easy for the rest of the day—and pulled out into the river. He had looked so…helpless.
Victoria was as tense as a coiled spring for the first part of the afternoon, but then, as the mellow warmth of the late summer day and Zac's easy and congenial conversation began to work its magic, she began to relax and enjoy herself.
He allowed her to clean the cut on his forehead when they stopped late in the day to eat, but he made no effort to touch her again—not that she could blame him, Victoria thought wryly—his attitude one of friendly affection and nothing
more. It suited her, it was exactly what she wanted, Victoria told herself firmly, but still—ridiculously—it hurt.
Dusk was blazing across the sky in a river of scarlet and gold when they eventually returned to the mooring, turning the evening shadows into deep, night-washed mauve and burnt orange.
Victoria had enjoyed herself—too much—and the self-knowledge made her voice cool and stiff as she thanked Zac for the day out with a very formal little speech that made his eyes twinkle.
'The pleasure was ail mine.' He smiled lazily, his big body silhouetted against the night sky.
'And…and I am sorry about what happened earlier,' Victoria added, his magnanimity putting her to shame.
'Think nothing of it.' He bent forward, so close she could smell the warm summer fragrance of his clean male skin, and kissed her lightly on the lips before straightening as he said mockingly, 'There's no gain without pain; isn't that what they say?'
'You haven't gained anything,' Victoria pointed out quietly.
'The pleasure of a day in your company?' he suggested evenly. 'I like being with you, Tory. I always have. That's gain enough.'
He liked being with Gina too.
For a moment Victoria thought she had said the words out loud, but then, when his face didn't change, she knew she hadn't voiced the cry from her heart. And it would be pointless anyway.
Some men never settled down with just one woman— look at her father. Linda Ward had been his mistress for years, and there had probably been others before her, Victoria thought a trifle bitterly. But she wasn't like her mother. There was no way she could accept or tolerate another woman in Zac's life.
'You like being with a lot of people.' It wasn't quite what she wanted to say, but the thought of another confrontation now, after the wonderful afternoon and evening they had shared, was too much. Somewhere, some time, the rows had to stop.
'No, I never have, and still less since I met you,' Zac said softly. 'But you don't believe that yet You will believe it, but you're not there yet. But I can wait.'
'Zac, I'm not a fool.' Victoria's good intentions to part amicably went out of the window. 'And I don't think this is wise, us meeting like this. It doesn't do either of us any good.'
'Why?' The charming companion guise was slipping a bit, Victoria noted as his face hardened and his eyes narrowed. 'Are you afraid you like it too much?'
He had hit the nail right on the head, but she managed to keep all trace of it from showing in her face, her voice very cool as she retorted, 'Don't be ridiculous.'
'You're always saying that, aren't you?' Zac said reflectively. They had reached the car, Victoria leaning against the passenger door as they had spoken, and now he put a hand either side of her, not quite touching her as he leant forward again and looked hard into her eyes. ' 'Don't be silly, Zac. Stop. I can't, you mustn't…' '
'Don't be—' She stopped abruptly, blushing helplessly as one black eyebrow rose in derisive silent comment.
'See?' His elbows unlocked, and now his thighs were within a hair's breadth, the faint but intoxicating scent of him all around her. 'Timid Tory, always ready to retreat into that little cast-iron shell of yours where no one can touch you. But I did touch you, didn't I, Mrs Harding? You agreed to become my wife, we had one consuming night of passion—'
'Before you got out of our bed to go and see another woman,' Victoria cut in feverishly. She had to stop this right now. He could charm the birds out of the trees, but she wasn't going to be taken in again. 'Look, Zac—' she breathed in deeply, willing her voice not to shake '—I meant what I said; this is not a good idea. It serves no useful purpose and it upsets us both.'
'On the contrary, my nervous little wife, it is an excellent idea,' Zac returned mockingly, 'and don't forget our meeting like this was part of the deal. The compromise,' he added with lazy softness. 'I've made concessions, plenty. I expect you to.'