But what man?
Olivia shot bolt-upright, her mouth dry, her heart pounding.
My God, she thought, am I going crazy? Only a few hours ago I was reunited with Jeremy, the man I love. The man I plan to spend the rest of my life with. Now I'm having sexual fantasies about a guy I don't even like. What's happening here?
She could not, of course, deny that Declan Malone was a seriously attractive man, with a high-flying career that only added to his charisma.
But what she was experiencing was the shameful equivalent of a schoolgirl crush, she told herself forcefully. People were being turned on all the time by complete strangers. That was how rock singers and film stars made their money. Yet that was safe-and harmless.
Contemplating what Declan Malone would be like in bed was not. That bordered on emotional infidelity to Jeremy.
And if the evening had gone according to plan it would have been Jeremy's arms around her in total reality, she reminded herself. Jeremy kissing and arousing her to the point where sanity crumbled and left only sensation.
But of course it hadn't worked out like that at all.
No point in pretending their reunion hadn't been a letdown. All her high hopes left stranded.
But she could hardly have expected Jeremy to jettison a business engagement in order to spend time with her, she told herself resolutely. Nor would she have allowed him to do so.
What niggled was that he hadn't even offered to rearrange his schedule for her sake. All she'd got was a vague promise for the future …
Olivia drew a deep breath. For heaven's sake, she wasn't giving him a chance, she reproved herself. After all, she was (he one who'd chosen to pop up unexpectedly, and she had to live with the consequences.
And poor Jeremy was probably just as frustrated as she was...
And that's exactly what's wrong, she thought, her spirits rising mercurially. What you're suffering from, you idiot, is a mega-dose of sexual frustration. Ami because you can't have the man you want, you've simply transferred your feelings-targeted someone else.
Culpable, but no real harm done.
Because if Declan Malone was delivered to me gift-wrapped, I'd send him back.
And, with a small fierce nod, she reapplied herself to her r with studied concentration, so much so, in fact, that when she'd finished she found herself with a slight headache.
She got up, flexing her aching shoulders. The basement felt stuffy, and slightly claustrophobic all of a sudden.
She thought, I need some fresh air.
She picked up the key for the garden, and set off up the steps.
Because it was late, she kept to the outside path, and the pools of light spilling from the uncurtained windows of the houses. Clearly no one was concerned about Peeping Toms, she realised wryly, resisting the temptation to study the brightly lit interiors as she passed, and see how the other half lived.
She wouldn't walk too far, she assured herself. Just enough to dispel the faint muzziness from her head and ensure she slept properly-and without any untoward dreams.
A faint breeze stirred the air, and brought the scent of flowers. Jasmine, she thought, breathing it longingly, her mind torn back to her West Country home.
If she pretended really hard, maybe she could imagine she was back there-and safe.
Now why did I think that? she wondered, her brows snapping together sharply. I'm fine where I am. I'm content, and will be happy.
And she quickened her stride impatiently, in the process nearly falling over a cat that had just meandered out of the bushes in front of her, his tail held aloft like a flag.
'Whoops.' Olivia caught at an overhanging branch to steady herself, while the cat began to wind itself round her legs, purring furiously. She looked more closely. 'Haven't we met before?'
From the glimpse she'd caught the day before, it looked like the one Humph had chased-the Fosters' Maximilian.
'Hi, there.' She bent and stroked him. 'Does anyone call you Max?'
It seemed someone did, because he chirruped at her, and pressed even closer, arching his back in ecstasy.
'You're such a flatterer.' Olivia ran her hand along the silky fur in a valedictory gesture. It was time she was turning back, she thought with faint unease. As it was, she'd walked further than she'd intended. If Maximilian was around, she was close to enemy territory.
'Stealing cats as well as husbands, Miss Butler?'
The mocking drawl made her straighten with a gasp, staring with disbelief to where he stood, a shadow on the edge of deeper shadows.
My God, she thought, her nails scoring the palms of her hands. I have no luck at all.
Aloud, she said coolly, 'Just making friends, Mr Malone.'
'Where would you be without the animal kingdom?' Declan said silkily. 'I thought you'd come to worship at the shrine, perhaps.' His voice sank. ' "But soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east."-and Jeremy is the sun. Only you're unfortunate, because he's not up in his room at the moment,' he added prosaically. 'In fact, he's out'
'Yes,' Olivia said between her teeth. 'I know.'
'Ah,' he said. 'You've seen him, then.'
'Naturally.' She stiffened, angrily aware that she was standing in a patch of light from a neighbouring window, and that he could see her as clear as day while she couldn't see him at all. Which gave him a totally unfair advantage-as usual.
'Oh, I understand,' he said. 'You've come to thank me.'
'Thank you for what?' Olivia snapped.
'For keeping your ill-advised confidence to myself, perhaps.' His tone was dry.
'Oh,' she said, and swallowed. 'Yes.' She paused. 'Why didn't you tell him?'
'I'm not completely sure,' he said slowly. 'But it certainly wasn't out of the goodness of my heart.'
'You do surprise me.' Her voice was laced with sarcasm.
'I thought I might,' he agreed. 'And, just for the record, you also surprised Jeremy. If I wasn't the soul of charity, I'd even say you gave him a nasty shock. But perhaps that's how true love affects some people.'
'It's easy to see it's never affected you,' she flashed.
'I wouldn't argue with you there.' There was a grin in his voice the darkness couldn't hide. 'Maybe I'm not the type for grand passions. After all, they make the place look so untidy.'
'Don't you care about anything?' she demanded.
'Yes, of course. I care deeply about the integrity of my work. And I love my family,' he added, with a touch of grimness.
Olivia bit her lip. 'But all the same you've decided not to say anything-to Jeremy?' She felt as if she were standing in a spotlight, naked, defenceless. All her emotions exposed to his merciless gaze.
'Let's say I've decided to let nature take its course,' Declan said blandly.
It wasn't a satisfactory answer, but something told her it was the best she was likely to get. Also, to get out while the going was good.
She said stiltedly, It's getting late. I must get back. Goodnight'
'Going already?' He sounded disappointed. 'I thought at the very least you'd hang on and serenade the man beneath his window. Perhaps I'm the true romantic after all.'
'You, Mr Malone?' Olivia tilted her chin scornfully. 'You haven't one romantic bone in your body.'
'Nevertheless,' he said softly, 'if you'd travelled a couple of hundred miles to see me, you wouldn't be alone in bed tonight So sleep on that, Miss Butler.'
The shadows moved, and he was gone.
For a moment Olivia was completely rigid, staring after him. Then she turned slowly and made her way back to her basement, furiously aware that her heart was pounding and her cheeks felt as if they were on fire.
'Damn him,' she muttered as she locked the gate behind her. 'Damn him to hell-and back again.'
In spite of everything, the fresh air did its work, and instead of lying awake brooding, as she'd half expected, Olivia slept almost as soon as her head touched the pillow.
She was eventually woken by her mobile phone.
Jeremy, she thought, snatching it up, but instead it was Sandra Wilton, calling to offer her a job.
'Bit of an emergency, this one,' she announced. 'One of our small business clients-he runs a property rental office in partnership with his wife, who's sprained her ankle. He needs someone to step into the breach until she can make it back into work, so it's not a long-term proposition. I'd say a couple of days at most.'
'It's also quite close to you-Kensington High Street Can I tell him you're on your way?'
'What would I be expected to do?' Olivia asked, noting down the name and address.
Sandra chuckled. 'Apparently it's Mrs Sutton who knows how the computer works, so poor Colin is currently climbing the wall. You'll earn your money if you can show him how to get into his database and perform a few simple functions.'
Sandra had not exaggerated. On her arrival at Personal Property, Olivia found a tall, elegantly dressed man with greying hair eying the computer as if it were a poisonous snake.
'Vicky told me what to do,' he said wretchedly, once they'd introduced themselves, 'what keys to press and all that, but it doesn't seem to respond. I think I've broken it.'
Olivia smiled at him soothingly. 'Let me see what I can do,' she said, unobtrusively switching on the power source.