Forbidden Surrender by Carole Mortimer

furious!’ Her eyes sparkled with anger. ‘Marie might be able to take all this calmly, but I’m afraid I can’t.’
    Her father gave a rueful smile. ‘Marie didn’t accept it calmly either—she gave me hell once you’d left yesterday.’
    ‘Good.’ Sara felt some of the anger leaving her. ‘I like Marie,’ she admitted huskily.
    ‘She likes you too.’ There was a shimmer of tears in his deep brown eyes so like her own. ‘But not as much as I do. Sara—–’
    ‘How about inviting me back for lunch?’ she broke in on what she felt could only be an emotional speech. And until she had decided what the future held for her she wanted to keep emotion out of this situation for as long as possible. Even her own anger and resentment must be dampened down for the moment.
    ‘You mean that?’ he asked eagerly.
    ‘Why not?’ she gave a casual shrug. ‘Although I’ll have to let my aunt and uncle know where I am.’
    ‘Susan and Arthur? We can call in there on the drive back if you like.’
    ‘I’m not sure—–’
    ‘We’ve remained on quite good terms, if that’s what you’re concerned about,’ her father cut in.
    ‘It seems to have been palsy-walsy all round,’ Sara said bitterly.
    ‘I—–’
    ‘I’m sorry,’ her movements were jerky as she picked up her, handbag from the desk-top, ‘shall we go now?’
    ‘I just have some papers to collect from my office first. Would you like to come with me or wait here?’
    ‘I’ll wait here. You won’t be long, will you?’
    ‘Two minutes,’ he promised, his eagerness almost embarrassing.
    Dominic returned to his office a few seconds later, obviously having been waiting outside. ‘There goes a happy man,’ he drawled.
    ‘It’s only lunch,’ Sara snapped awkwardly.
    He shook his head. ‘Not to Michael it isn’t.’
    Her eyes flashed at his taunting tone. ‘You don’t sound as if you approve.’
    ‘Oh, I approve, for Michael’s sake.’
    ‘And Marie’s!’
    ‘Yes,’ the word came out as a hiss. ‘But not for my own. And you know why, don’t you?’ he added harshly.
    ‘No …’ The awareness was back, only stronger, and once again it frightened her.
    Dominic slowly closed the door behind him, his gaze locked on her parted lips. ‘Yes, Sara. God, yes …!’ he groaned, pulling her into his arms. ‘I’ve been wanting this since—since—Oh, God!’ His lips ground down on hers.
    There was no thought of denial, her mouth opened to accept the probing intimacy of his, her body arched against him. She had never been kissed so intimately, so thoroughly, each touch of Dominic’s lips was more drugging than the last.
    The situation was spiralling out of control, Dominic’s hands probing the curve of her back, sending shivers of delight down her spine, his mouth now caressing the hollow below her ear.
    But she was a substitute, Marie’s double. It wasn’t her he was kissing at all. This realisation made her spin away from him, the fierce desire in his face reaching out hungrily to her, their breathing ragged.
    ‘I have to go,’ she said jerkily. ‘I—I’ll wait for my father outside.’
    Dominic made no move to touch her, standing pale and dazed as she quietly left the room.
    Sara smiled nervously at the secretary, pushing her long hair back from her pale face. What had happened in there? It had been like a minor explosion, their bodiesfusing together in a tide of sensual abandon. Dominic, a man she had believed to be in control at all times, had definitely been out of control for a few brief minutes, had wanted her with every fibre of his body. And she had wanted him too.
    But she hadn’t been Sara Hamille to him, she had been Marie Lindlay! He seemed to have trouble separating them, and until he could she would have to stay out of his way. If only she weren’t so attracted to him!
    ‘Sara!’ Her father appeared at her side, a briefcase in his hand. ‘Sorry I was longer than anticipated. I just called Marie to make sure she