Eventually a lull fell as they exchanged the wine for coffee, and it was during the lull that Caroline set the cat among the pigeons.
'So,' she said, looking from her brother to Ginny. 'When are you two getting engaged?'
Ginny blinked and almost choked on her after-dinner mint. Roarke had gone still, his cup halfway to his lips.
'What?' they asked in unison, casting cautionary glances at each other, which Caroline found highly amusing.
'Oh, come on,' she chided. 'I can't recall ever seeing you so happy, Roarke. It must be love!'
Roarke set his cup down with a sharp tap of china on china. 'I'm not in love,' he said bluntly, and Ginny caught her breath sharply as she was struck by an unexpected shaft of pain. 'Neither of us are.' He looked to Ginny for confirmation, and she turned to his sister.
'We don't have that kind of relationship.' She repeated the phrase she had used only hours before. It sounded lame now.
'Fiddlesticks!' Caroline exclaimed. 'Are you both ostriches? What kind of relationship do you think you have?'
James put his hand on his wife's arm. 'Er, Caro, I don't think this is the right time,' he warned awkwardly.
She frowned at him. 'But it's obvious!'
He smiled at Ginny and Roarke, then held his wife's gaze pointedly. 'Not to them, darling.'
Caroline looked confused. 'But … ' She frowned at her brother. 'You're … not … in love?'
'No.'
Once again they spoke together.
The other woman's shoulders slumped and she shook her head. 'Well, OK, if you say you're not, you're not. Who am I to argue?' 'Surely we should know?' Ginny put in, trying to ease the uncomfortable moment, and Caroline smiled ruefully.
'Of course you should, Ginny. Forget I ever mentioned it,' she ordered, smiling at everyone. 'Now, who wants a brandy to go with their coffee?'
So the awkward moment was glossed over, and the remainder of the evening passed without anything else untoward happening. However, as they drove home, Ginny couldn't help thinking about it.
'It's funny that your sister should think we're in love,' she remarked. 'What made her think that?'
'Being in the happy state herself, no doubt,' Roarke returned sardonically, then spared her a glance. 'You don't love me, do you?'
Ginny turned startled eyes his way. 'I think I'd know. You don't?'
'You know my feelings on the subject. Love is for the birds.'
'So it's still sex, then?' She sought confirmation.
'Just sex,' he agreed, and they fell silent.
Ginny stared out into the darkness and saw her own reflection. It seemed to be asking a question. If this was just sex, why did she suddenly feel so empty inside? Neither she nor her reflection had an answer.
CHAPTER TEN
ABOUT ten days later Ginny stirred in the night, and knew instantly that she was alone in the bed. Running a hand over the sheets, she found they were cool, and knew that Roarke had been gone some time. Sliding from the bed, she slipped on her robe and went in search of him. He had been acting a little strangely ever since they had had dinner with Caroline and James, and now finding him out of bed like this gave her a vague feeling of disquiet.
She almost didn't see him. Roarke was sitting on the sofa in the dark, his feet propped up on the coffee table. She stood and watched him in silence, unable to dispel the feeling that he was a million miles away instead of just a few feet.
'What are you doing here in the dark?' she asked quietly, and his head turned towards her.
'Just sitting and thinking. I thought you were asleep.'
She padded into the room. 'Something woke me, and I discovered you were gone. Can't you sleep? Is something bothering you?'
Roarke held out a hand to her, and Ginny took it, allowing herself to be pulled down on to the sofa beside him. She tucked her feet under her and rested herself against him. The closeness should have helped but, contrarily, it didn't quite. She still had the feeling something was wrong, but couldn't put a finger on it.
'I'm going to New York tomorrow morning,' he said into the darkness.
Ginny frowned, for there was nothing scheduled or she would have known about it. 'You are? Has something happened?' she asked in all seriousness, and was surprised to hear Roarke laugh wryly.
'You could say that. There are some … people I have to see,' he added, and she didn't miss the faint hesitation.
People? That was an odd way of putting it. 'You're making it sound very mysterious.'
'Am I? Well, it isn't. It's just something I have to do. For Grandfather,' he explained, and Ginny felt a sense of relief totally out of proportion to the situation, which showed how uneasy she had been feeling lately.
'Oh, I see. Family business. Ah, well, if he needs you, he needs you, but I'll miss you,' she declared, touching a hand to his chest.
'I'll miss you, too,' he responded, dropping a kiss on her head.
A lump lodged itself in her throat as she started to miss him already. 'How long will you be gone?'
Roarke ran his hand gently up and down her arm. 'I really have no idea, but not too long, I hope.'
'Do you want me to pack for you?' she offered helpfully, but he shook his head.
'No. I'll pop into my apartment on the way to the airport and collect some fresh things from there.'
Ginny sighed heavily. 'I don't suppose you can pack me in your suitcase and take me with you?' she joked, though if he had asked she would have gone with him in a trice.
He laughed huskily. 'Much as I would like to have you with me, this is something I have to do alone.'
'There's nothing I can do to change your mind?' she asked, running her hand over his chest and slipping it inside the towelling robe he was wearing.
Roarke's free hand came up and stopped her roving one in its tracks. 'There's plenty you could do, but it won't make me change my mind, sweetheart.'
She hadn't supposed it would, but it was worth a try. 'Will you ring me? Let me know how things are going on?'
Roarke raised the hand he held captive to his lips and pressed a kiss to her palm. 'Every day, and that's a promise.'
As satisfied as she could be with the situation, Ginny eased herself away from him and stood up. 'Come back to bed, then, and let me give you something to remember whilst you're away,' she suggested huskily, and she saw his teeth flash in the darkness as he grinned and stood up.
'There might be some men who could ignore an offer like that, but I'm not one of them, thank God,' he declared, sweeping her up into his arms and striding back to the bedroom.
Maybe it was knowing that they would be apart for some time that gave their lovemaking a degree of urgency which made it impossible for either of them to hold back. From the first touch they wanted each other with a hunger and need that would not be denied, and the result was white-hot passion. Limbs tangled, bodies grew slick with sweat, and their moans of almost unbearable pleasure led on to a climax that left them so satiated they fell asleep in each other's arms.
Roarke had showered and was already eating breakfast when she woke next morning. Memories of the night before brought a smile to her lips as she showered and dressed, then joined him in her tiny kitchen.
Their eyes met and a silent message passed, though neither mentioned the passion they had shared. They remembered, and that was enough.
'What time's your flight?' she asked, nibbling at a piece of toast whilst watching him wash his breakfast things and set them on the drainer.
'Eleven. I'll have time to run you to work, then go on to my apartment,' Roarke informed her after glancing at his watch.
'You'll be exhausted. You didn't get a lot of sleep last night,' she commiserated with him, though her eyes twinkled flirtatiously.
He grinned ruefully. 'Never mind. I can catch up on lost sleep during the flight.'
Ginny pulled a face. 'I wish you weren't going.'
Rounding the table, he tipped her chin up and kissed her deeply. 'It's important I do this. I'll tell you all about it when I get back. Now, get a move on or we'll both be late.'
She rose, finishing off her toast and taking a last sip of coffee before following him. 'I'll have to complain to my boss about you.'
Roarke laughed. 'Think it will do you any good?' Collecting his briefcase, he waited by the door.
'We-ell, I do have some influence with him. I have a trick or two up my sleeve,' she teased, slipping on the jacket of her suit and gathering up her bag.
He held the door for her to precede him out. 'Save them till I get back, then we'll try them out and see how effective they'll be,' he suggested, and Ginny floated down the stairs with a sigh of contentment.
Roarke was as good as his word and telephoned her each evening, just when he knew she would be in bed. The sound of his voice kept her spirits up, but she missed him terribly. More than she thought she could possibly miss anyone. The days dragged by, but the nights were the worst. She missed his presence in the bed beside her. Roarke had become a vital part of her life without her even realising it was happening. She felt as if a part of herself was missing, and couldn't wait for him to come back.