When Love Comes by Anne Hampson

Author:Anne Hampson [Hampson, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7953-3939-4
Publisher: RosettaBooks
Published: 1983-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

He saw her to her room and followed her inside. She turned to watch him close the door.

He moved over to the window and she heard herself saying,

‘I’m sorry, Clive, for—for what’s happened.’ She wondered how she could lie with such a steady and convincing tone of voice.

He was staring out into the lights of Paris.

‘I’ll recover,’ he threw over his shoulder. ‘My situation’s not unique.’ His voice had a toneless quality.

‘It hurts while it lasts, though,’ she stated and he turned to look attentively at her as he asked,

‘How do you know? Have you been through it?’

She shook her head.

‘I’ve already told you I’ve never had anyone to be serious with.’

His eyes were piercing, almost as if he were endeavouring to read her thoughts to see if she were lying. Colouring at the idea she lowered her eyes and only then did she realise that her whole manner was one of guilt.

‘Never been loved?’ His tone had a sceptical ring and she guessed he was bitter inside and not thinking what he was saying.

‘No,’ she whispered, ‘never been loved.’

And at this he came to her and took her unresisting body in his arms. His mouth descended on hers, moist and hard and demanding. She felt tears pricking her lids for it was no use closing her mind to the fact that it was not her he was kissing but a beautiful French girl, the girl he had wanted to marry. Janis’s instinct was to wrench herself from his hold but it was not instinct she followed as she lifted her own arms to circle them about his neck. Her curves melded to the hard contours of his frame in a sort of tender submission for it was her heart which guided all her actions, making her reciprocate his kisses, parting her lips to experience the rapture of his tongue teasing and playing, just as his hands were teasing and playing, caressing her curves as if their owner had every right on earth to do so. He drew away, staring into her pale face for a long silent moment before saying,

‘Shall we make love, Janis?’

So cool and calculating! No disguise as to the fact that he needed comfort, balm for his hurts! Wrenching herself free she faced him with fiercely angry eyes.

‘How could you?’ she cried. ‘You’d degrade us both by using me for relief—solace!’

The dark eyes became equally as angry as hers.

‘It’s no such thing! You seem to want me to make love to—’

‘Stop it!’ she stormed, sending him a glowering look. ‘It’s you—seeking comfort—’

‘And now you can stop!’ His voice ground harshly into her words and, deflated, she blushed hotly at the discomfiture of being so arrogantly silenced. She felt like crying, wanted to plead with him not to be unkind to her but instead she said tightly,

‘Please go, Clive,’ and a few seconds later she heard the click of the latch as the door closed behind him.

***

It was only a matter of hours before she came face to face with the woman she disliked most in the world—Clive’s grandmother.

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