Read Desire (#2) for Free Online Page B

between his conquests. How could I have been so stupid? I almost convinced myself he cared, with this trip to the gallery, organised just for me.
    “I’m sorry if that isn’t what you wanted to hear, Kate. But I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
    I shook my head and forced a smile. “Oh, it’s not like that with Benjamin and me. It’s just a casual thing. Nothing serious.” The words tasted bitter in my mouth.
    “Oh, well good. I feel better now.” He gave me a crooked smile. “I guess that means you won’t be vandalising the Easton estate’s artwork then?”
    I did my best to laugh along with him. “Your artwork is safe from me, Colin.”

7

    COLIN HAD OFFERED TO take me to lunch after the gallery, but I told him I had a headache and wanted to get back to the hotel. I kept up my sunny performance, until I was safely in my hotel suite, then I flopped on the bed and started to cry.
    Why had I picked him? Why had I fallen for a man who would never love me back? I buried my face in the pillow. I lay there for over an hour until my cell phone rang.
    It was Benjamin.
    I looked at the caller display and chewed my lip. I didn’t know if I could speak to him right now.
    I answered the phone, and his warm deep voice sent tingles down to my toes and made fresh tears prick the corner of my eyes.
    “Can you be ready for six? I’ll send the car to take you to Hampshire. I’m not going to get back in time to see you off, but…”
    “That’s fine,” I interrupted. “Look, to be honest, it will do me good to have a little space.”
    He was silent on the other end of the phone.
    “I’m not really sure this is going anywhere,” I said.
    “Where do you want it to go?” he asked. He kept his voice light, but there was a steely edge to it.
    “I’m starting to feel like a sex object,” I snapped.
    He laughed. “There are worse things.”
    I bristled. He was laughing at me. I was not surprised his last conquest threw red paint over his prized mural. It was probably the only way she could get him to take her seriously.
    “Look, Kate. I’m in the middle of a meeting. Can we talk about this later?”
    “Fine,” I said and hung up on him.
    I set the phone down on the bed and stared at it. Had I really just hung up on him? He wouldn’t like that. I waited to see if he would call back, but of course, he didn’t.
    I hauled myself off the bed and started to pack.
    I guess it really sank in when the Mercedes showed up to take me to Hampshire. There was no sign of Benjamin. Some small part of me hoped he would turn up and convince me that I did matter to him. That I was different to all the other women.
    I wheeled my case forward to the edge of the sidewalk, and the grey-haired driver smiled as he took it from me and loaded it into the trunk. The evening air had turned chilly, so I wrapped my jacket around me tightly.
    After I settled myself in the backseat, the driver asked if I’d like to listen to any music.
    “Sure,” I said, fastening my seatbelt.
    “I have a classic FM CD if that suits you. Or would you prefer something more modern?”
    “Classical music’s fine.”
    The low haunting notes of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata filled the car as the driver pulled away from the front of Claridge’s and merged into the early evening traffic. The buildings passed in a blur and rain drops trailed down the window. I was moping, but I couldn’t help myself.
    I heard a sharp beep and pulled my cell phone from my handbag.
    I had a message from Benjamin. Hope blossomed in my traitorous heart.
    His message was abrupt and to the point. He didn’t waste any words on niceties.
    Did the driver pick you up?
    I gritted my teeth. Well, fine. I could be abrupt and to the point too.
    I typed, Yes. In the car now.
    Once we were traveling on the motorway, I closed my eyes and concentrated on the music, trying to empty my head of all thoughts of Benjamin. I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew I was shaken awake by the