Forgotten Lover. Кэрол Мортимер
He packed his equipment away for the day.
‘Then I’ll wear it back to the hotel.’ She pulled on a wrap, glad to be hidden at last from curious eyes. She was tall, with the slender figure of a model, her features classically beautiful, her brown eyes almond-shaped, slightly tilted at the corners to hint at the Oriental. And then there was her hair, her beautiful, red-gold hair, the colour of which could never be matched by anything out of a bottle. Her features and colouring were instantly riveting, making her one of the top models in England, although she doubted she had the ambition to actually reach the top. As long as she had enough money to support herself and Tony in comfort then she was happy.
Dear Tony! If she went back to the hotel now she might just be in time to call Simon and talk to Tony before Janice bathed him and put him to bed. Just to hear his childish lisping of the word ‘Mum’ would be enough to make her day.
‘Hey, sleepyhead,’ Paul interrupted her thoughts. ‘I was talking to you!’
‘I’m sorry,’ Velvet blinked, her lashes dark and silky. ‘What did you say?’
‘I said wear the bikini you have on, no one is going to ask for it back.’
‘Wear this!’ Velvet scorned. ‘You must be joking! It would probably fall apart in the water.’
He smiled. ‘A great advert you are for Style Swimwear!’
Carly bounced out of the back of the trailer they were using to change in, dressed in her own tight-fitting denims and a tee-shirt. ‘Ready?’ she smiled up at her boy-friend, her dark attractive features beautiful even without make-up.
Paul frowned. ‘Ready for what?’
‘To take me to Ocean World. And don’t say you forgot,’ she added as he began to shake his head. ‘You promised, Paul,’ she pouted petulantly.
‘I have to get this film developed.’
‘Ocean World won’t take long to see, and it’s only just down the road.’
‘We’re here to work, Carly. I——’
‘Oh, don’t be such an old grouch, Paul,’ Velvet cut in. ‘Take Carly to Ocean World.’
‘And what do I do if our client asks to see the initial photographs this evening?’
‘He’s invited us to dinner,’ Carly dismissed. ‘He’ll hardly expect to see the work already completed.’
‘I’d forgotten all about dinner this evening,’ Velvet frowned. ‘Isn’t it a little unusual to be invited out by the owner of a firm as big as Style Clothes?’
Paul shrugged. ‘It happens. Besides, we’re staying at his hotel. He lives in the penthouse apartment.’
She raised her eyebrows. ‘I didn’t know that.’
‘Where did you think we were having dinner?’ he teased.
‘Not at his apartment.’
‘He flew in yesterday evening,’ Paul explained. ‘I spoke to him last night while the two of you slept.’
Carly wrinkled her nose at him. ‘We don’t all have your stamina for work. Besides, Velvet and I need our beauty sleep.’
He grinned. ‘You said it!’
‘Why, you——’
Velvet laughed at Carly’s fury. ‘I think you walked into that one,’ she teased the other girl.
‘Maybe,’ she admitted grudgingly. ‘But just for that,’ she put her arm through the crook of Paul’s, ‘you can definitely take me to Ocean World.’
He sighed. ‘Who wants to see a load of dolphins performing tricks?’
‘I do,’ Carly said firmly. ‘And if you aren’t careful I’ll push you in with the sharks!’
Velvet knew that this veiled argument hid a very real affection, Carly and Paul were very much in love with each other.
‘Okay,’ Paul gave in. ‘Coming with us, Velvet?’
She shook her head. ‘I’m going back to the hotel to make a telephone call and then I’m going swimming.’
‘Don’t be late for dinner,’ he warned. ‘Seven-thirty for eight in the penthouse suite.’
‘I’ll be there,’ she promised.
‘And look your most stunning, I think Daniels will appreciate that.’
She grinned at Paul’s determination to impress their employer. ‘I’ll wear the sexiest dress I can find.’
‘Not that one,’ he said hastily, obviously recalling the daring of the black gown she had in mind. ‘I don’t want him to take you to bed, just to realise how beautiful the models are I’ve brought with me.’
‘I’ll remember,’ and she laughingly took her leave of them. If she didn’t soon make that telephone call it would be too late.
Her casual attire was perfectly acceptable in the hotel reception, some of the other people walking about in even less than she was, their nakedness barely covered by swimming attire. Although a model, and reasonably sure of herself, she would have felt too embarrassed to walk in wearing just the bikini she had modelled earlier; it was two strips of material that only just contained her modesty. The matching wrap at least reached down to her thighs, although the material was diaphanous.
But she didn’t give the impression of being in the least selfconscious as she strolled across the reception area to the lift, a tall beautiful girl with strawberry-blonde hair and flashing dark eyes.
‘Velvet! Velvet, stop!’
She frowned, turning to face the owner of that deep, attractive voice, a voice as English as her own. A tall man, well over six feet, was making his way towards her, a ruggedly handsome man with dark almost black hair, distinguished wings of grey at his temples, his eyes deeply blue, surrounded by thick black lashes, his nose long and straight, a dark shadow above his top lip over the firmness of his jaw, a shadow that meant he probably had to shave twice a day. Above that strong jawline his top lip jutted out determinedly, the lower lip fuller, hinting at a deep sensuality. He had wide powerful shoulders, tapering to a narrow waist and lean hips, and he was probably the most handsome man Velvet had ever seen. The white trousers fitted to his muscular thighs, the dark blue shirt was partly unbuttoned down his chest, his skin was deeply tanned, as if he lived a lot of his life out in the sun.
Yes, he was very handsome, excitingly so, being in his late thirties or early forties, she would say, having an assurance and confidence about him that pointed to him being unnerved by little. He was also acting as if he knew her, and much as she would like it to be true, she knew she had never seen him in her life before. He just wasn’t the sort of man you forgot once you had met him.
‘Velvet!’ He grasped both her hands in his, searching her face with those deep blue eyes as if he intended memorising every feature. ‘My God,’ he choked, very pale beneath his tan, a haggard look to his face. ‘It really is you!’ His hands tightened on hers.
She gave a polite meaningless smile, trying to extricate her hands without causing a scene. Men had tried to pick her up in this way in the past, but never anyone like this man. ‘It really is me,’ she agreed lightly. ‘Now would you mind …?’ she looked pointedly at their joined hands.
‘God, Velvet,’ he groaned, making no effort to release her, ‘you don’t know what it does to me to see you here!’
She was beginning to, his hold on her hands was painful now. ‘Could you please let me go?’ she winced.
His hold relaxed a little, but he didn’t release her. ‘Velvet …’
She was becoming angry now, aware that they were attracting more than their fair