Luc grimaced, his gaze flinty. "Give Ana and Sherman my regards."
Hattie sighed as he disappeared. Luc was definitely disgruntled. She didn't really blame him. Men didn't do well with sexual frustration, and Hattie herself was feeling out of sorts. What would it take to coax him back into a less confrontational mood?
Deedee chortled and babbled when Ana held the phone to the baby's ear. But Hattie couldn't really tell if Deedee recognized her voice. When the call ended, she had to wipe her eyes, but she knew that this separation wouldn't harm her niece. It was Hattie who was having a hard time.
The sitting room actually had its own bathroom, so Hattie decided to freshen up. Fortunately, she had kept her personal bag with her, so she didn't have to invade the bedroom. Knowing how airlines could lose luggage, she'd packed a pair of khaki walking shorts and a teal blouse in her carry-on. She changed out of her dress into the more casual clothes, breathing a sigh of relief.
Being Luc Cavallo's wife was going to take some adjustment. Hattie was accustomed to traveling in jeans and sneakers, not haute couture.
Her shoes were in one of the big suitcases, so she padded barefoot to the window and looked out into the courtyard. Two small pools, one behind the other, glowed like jewels in the late afternoon sun. It struck her as she glanced at her watch that she had been married an entire day already.
It was a full hour before Luc reappeared. He, too, had changed, but only into a fresh dress shirt. He had his briefcase in hand and a jacket slung over his shoulder.
Hattie's eyes widened. "What's going on?"
"I have to leave." He didn't quite manage to meet her gaze as he fiddled with his watch strap. "There's a crisis in the Miami office, and I'm the closest man on the ground. Our VP there is supposed to be signing a hot new Latin designer, and apparently things aren't going well."
"You're going to Miami?" She was stunned.
He shrugged into his jacket. "I'll talk to Marcel on the way out. Everyone understands business emergencies. He'll look out for you while I'm gone. Shouldn't be more than twenty-four hours at the most, not enough time for anyone to question our marriage. You'll enjoy the shopping here. And order dinner in if you don't feel like getting out tonight."
"You're leaving me on our honeymoon?" The reality was sinking in. She couldn't decide if she was more angry or hurt.
Luc strode to the door, opened it and looked back, his eyes empty of any emotion. "My life didn't suddenly stop when you came back, Hattie. I've done everything you asked. Deedee is safe. We both know this marriage is temporary. You'll have to make some allowances. I sure the hell am."
She curled up on the massive bed and cried for an hour. Insulting, that's what it was. So what if this wasn't a real marriage? Didn't she deserve at least a pretend honeymoon?
And did Luc care so little for her feelings that he could simply desert her after last night?
Her eyes were red and puffy, but she was calm when her cell phone rang at nine o'clock. She didn't recognize the number, though she knew it was an Atlanta area code.
Leo's deep voice echoed on the other end. "I need to talk to my brother. He's not answering his damn phone."
Hattie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and scooted up on the down pillows. "He's not here, Leo."
"What do you mean he's not there?"
"He left. He's gone. Kaput. Some commotion in the Miami office about a new designer and an important contract."
"What the hell?"
Hattie winced. "I don't know what to say, Leo. He's not here."
Muffled profanity on the other end of the line was followed by Leo's long, audible sigh. "I'm sorry, Hattie. I should have gone to Miami. But I've been tied up with another deal."
"It's not your fault. I'm pretty sure this is his way of showing me he's the boss. Or maybe he's dishing out a bit of payback. He still harbors a lot of anger toward me. And I can't really blame him."
"I'm sure the Miami crisis is real."
"It probably is," she said, her voice dull. "But how many brides do you know who would put up with this? Me? I don't have a choice. He holds all the cards. Good night, Leo."
Luc stood on his balcony, staring out at the ocean and cursing his own stubbornness. He'd handled the business crisis in record time and had been ready to speed back to his lovely wife. But at the last moment he decided to stay gone overnight. It was important that Hattie understand he wouldn't be swayed by his lust.
They were going to have sex … and soon. But he wasn't a slave to his libido. And he wasn't going to fall at her knees and beg.
The irony didn't escape him. He'd been on his knees on his wedding night. But Hattie's indecision had saved him from making a fool of himself. He was back in the driver's seat.
He wondered what Hattie was doing right now. Was she at a restaurant, where available men were hitting on her? He slammed his fist on the railing and welcomed the pain. Maybe it would clear his head.
In business, he knew that the key to success was always, always keeping the upper hand. Last night had been a bad mistake. He'd allowed Hattie to see how much he still wanted her. And that knowledge was power.
She was supposed to beg him for sex, not the other way around. He wasn't in love with her. This gnawing ache in his gut was simple male lust. His last relationship had ended several months ago, and since then work had been all-consuming.
When Hattie showed up on his doorstep, it made sense that he would respond to her strongly, given their past and his recent stretch of celibacy. And it made sense for them to enjoy each other physically as long as they were legally man and wife. But when Deedee's situation was secure, Luc would make it clear that it was time for the two females to go.
Hattie fell into an exhausted slumber somewhere around two in the morning. So she was peeved when Marcel knocked at her suite before nine. But when she opened the door, the man standing there was not Marcel. It was Leo Cavallo. Her brand-new brother-in-law.
She ran a hand through her hair, ruefully aware that she looked a mess. "What are you doing here?"
He seemed unusually somber. "May I come in?"
Her knees went weak. "Oh, God. Is it Luc?" She grabbed his shirt. "Tell me. Is he okay?" Little yellow dots danced in front of her eyes and the world went black.
When she came to, she was lying flat on her back on the sofa with Leo hovering nearby. He patted her hand. "I'm sorry I scared you. Luc is fine." His gaze was accusatory. "You still love him."
She sat up carefully. "Of course I don't."
"Are you pregnant? Is that why you fainted?"
"Leo. For God's sake. I didn't eat dinner and I haven't had breakfast. I got woozy. End of story."
She stood up carefully and went to the minibar for a Coke. She needed caffeine badly, and she wasn't prepared to wait for coffee to brew. "You still haven't told me why you're here." She shot him a bewildered look.
He shrugged, dwarfing the armchair in which he sat. "When you told me Luc had gone to Miami, it got me to thinking. At the wedding, only a blind man could have missed the fact that Luc still has strong feelings for you … and vice versa. I wasn't the only one who noticed."
"Your imagination is impressive."
"Deny it if you want. But regardless, it's a crappy thing to do to you … abandoning you on your honeymoon."
"And you've come to tell him that?"
"No. I'm here to get him to sign some papers. They're important, but I wouldn't have bothered him on his honeymoon except for the fact that he apparently doesn't see anything wrong with mixing business with pleasure." He held up his hands. "I'll hang out with you until he gets back."
She shook her head, smiling. "I thought I was the villainess of the piece."
"I've been known to be wrong on occasion." He shrugged, his boyish grin equally as appealing as her husband's. But Leo's smile didn't stir her heartbeat in the least.
"That's sweet of you, but not necessary. I can entertain myself."