The Real Romero(41)

                ‘Snapped?’

                ‘Surely you can’t be that naive, Milly. The paparazzi are always on the lookout for candid shots of high-profile people. In fairness, I don’t know whether I was snapped by the paparazzi or by some interested visitor who recognised me. Or maybe Alberto’s wife just happened to let slip to someone who let slip to someone else that I was staying at the lodge with you... Whatever picture happened to be taken of us together consolidated the story. I would think that someone who knows Isobel posted it to her on a social network and it went from there...’

                ‘Sorry, but you’re losing me. What story? There is no story. Not unless it’s the story of the ski instructor who wasn’t a ski instructor.’

                ‘Are we back to that?’

                ‘Tell me what you’re talking about,’ Milly said because he was right. What was there to gain from going over trodden ground? So he had lied because he was suspicious of the human race and in particular of women. She could tell him a thousand times that she found it insulting and offensive but he would just look at her blandly, shrug and imply that her point of view was inferior to his.

                ‘Isobel has somehow managed to get hold of the fact that I’m here with you.’

                ‘You’re not here with me.’ She flushed hotly at the unspoken implication buzzing in the air between them like a live, dangerous electric current.

                ‘And I’m perfectly sure,’ Lucas intoned in a voice that was suddenly hard and devoid of emotion, ‘that she is all too aware of that. But she’s a woman scorned and she’s decided that a little malicious mischief is just what I deserve. She can’t have me so why not make life as hellish for me as she can, to teach me the valuable lesson that, when it comes to dumping, she’s the one who decides to do it?’

                Milly frowned in confusion. For someone who had an exceptional grasp of the English language and how to use it to maximum benefit, he seemed to be struggling with his words. ‘Okay...’ She dragged out that one word while trying to grapple with whatever he was attempting to say to her.

                ‘There’s something else I should mention,’ Lucas admitted. ‘Another reason I came here was to have a break from my mother. She’s been ill and, ever since her extremely successful operation, she’s managed to convince herself that time is no longer on her side...’

                ‘I’m sorry. Happens with older people sometimes,’ Milly murmured. ‘My granny had an operation on her hip two years ago and, even though she can run up a mountain faster than a goat, she still thinks that she’ll wake up one morning and she won’t be able to stand. Sorry. I interrupted you. What does your mother have to do with this? Lucas, I haven’t got the foggiest what you’re talking about.’

                ‘Isobel,’ he said heavily, striving to stem the anger in his voice when he thought of where his ex had landed him, ‘has presented my mother with whatever picture was snapped of us in town and has intimated that...’ he shook his head and cursed fluently under his breath ‘...we are somehow involved in some kind of romantic situation.’

                He flushed darkly, remembering the way his libido had gone into orbit when he had looked at her. Yes, he had toyed with the tantalising thought of taking her to his bed. Had that thought somehow manifested itself in whatever expression he had been snapped wearing? Had he been looking at her with some kind of sexual intent? Had some idiot’s camera caught him off-guard with a look in his eye that had lent itself to some kind of misinterpretation?

                Milly’s mouth fell open. She didn’t know whether to be horrified, incredulous or just downright amused. No. Not amused. His expression was grim. If she laughed, then he wouldn’t be laughing along with her.