Martine The Beginning (Cruising to Love, The Prequel) by Edwina J White Page B

dinner.”
      “Oh.”
      “He’s coming down tomorrow morning and we’re meeting with the Minister at twelve, a luncheon meeting.”
      “Oh?”
      “Yes.  Some of the fault for this snafu lies at their feet, and it looks as if there may be a little corruption somewhere…this is confidential, darling.”
      “Of course, Lucas.”
      “So I have to be a lot more involved.  Which is good.  Because it means more money…”
      “That’s good, Lucas.  Very good.”
      “Yes, baby.  It’s very good.” He took a drink of his tea.  “And bad.”
      “Why is it bad, darling?”
      “Because I have to fly back up to Glasgow with George Monday night, and I won’t be back until Friday. His boss, the head of the conglomerate, Sir Charles, has just added some assignments for me.”
      “That is bad, darling.  But necessary.”
      “I’m so glad you understand, darling.  It’s the nature of my business.”
      Martine smiled at him.  “Yes, Lucas, it’s the nature of your business.”
      “I’m glad you understand, darling.  I’m glad you have the Gallery to keep you busy while I’m away.”
      Martine looked at him through half closed eyes.  “Why don’t we go back to bed?” she asked in a husky voice. 
      “Why don’t we finish what we started in the middle of the night?  I want you so badly, Lucas.  What does it matter if you take my innocence today, or on our wedding night?”
      Lucas looked at her very seriously.
      “Martine, my mother and father were engaged to be married. He was in the British Army, just received his first commission.  He got posted to Northern Ireland immediately.  The night before he left, they made love.
      “He was killed three days later.  A bomb.  I was born nine months later.”
      He paused.  Martine drew in her breath.  She reached over and took his hand.  He squeezed it very hard.
      “Darling, I know how hard life was for my mother and I.  It isn’t going to happen to us.  No, darling, you’re staying a virgin until we marry.”
      They didn ’t leave the flat for the rest of the day, except to slip down to the news stand for the Sunday papers. Lucas had a briefcase full of files to review.  Martine read the newspapers.
      She found the ’about town’ column.  And saw the picture of the four of them.  Penny was stunning.  She looked quite sexy herself.  And Lucas and John both looked like handsome men about town.  She smiled at her private joke.  The write up was brief, but it plugged the Gallery and Penny. She wondered if it would bring any business.
      Lucas ordered Chinese take away for dinner, and had them deliver it. He walked Martine back to the Gallery at eight.  She went to bed, in her
    little bed, all alone.  Feeling very alone without Lucas beside her.  The alarm woke her at three and she trudged off to the bakery. A year now, she’d been doing the juggling act.  She wondered how long she could continue, now that Lucas had entered her life.
      He ’d given her a key to his flat, had it cut for her, and put it firmly on her key ring.  He wanted her to stay there while he was away. But she didn’t.  She stayed at the Gallery.  She had reached a decision.  If Lucas wanted a virgin bride, he could have one. Now she knew why. But she wouldn’t be a virgin bride if she got too used to be being there, in his flat.  Too comfortable.  He would reach for her in his sleep again, she knew, and the next time, the next time, she would push her panties down, and guide him into her core, and love him…and that was not what Lucas wanted….
      He didn ’t call Monday night.  He didn’t call Tuesday.  He called Wednesday, briefly, and was annoyed that she wasn’t staying in the flat.  They had their first fight, over the telephone, about her not staying in the flat.  He didn’t understand her reasoning.  She gave up and hung up on him.  He didn’t call back.
      Thursday, Belinda came