Last Stop Marriage

‘On Dragon Air from Hong Kong.’

‘I’ll have someone waiting for you at Hong Kong airport with the necessary visas, letters, et cetera for entry.’

‘Thank you, Jayne.’

Her skin prickled at the sensual caress in his voice. She had forgotten how he could evoke responses like that simply with an expressive change of tone. It was something she would have to guard against.

She should probably ask for Baby’s name, but it could be filled in on the paperwork before the flight into China. If it was something like Peach Bubbles, she would probably throw up.

‘Please keep me posted on your journey,’ she said stiffly. ‘I’ll be at Xi’an airport to meet you.’

‘No need for that. We’ll see you at Lin Zhiyong’s party. Baby and I will look forward to it.’

A heated breath hissed between Jayne’s teeth. How could any woman stand being spoken of in such a patronising manner? Did having a free meal and travel ticket compensate for such de-meaning paternalism? Was Baby’s brain dulled by a sexual drive that consumed any rational thought?

‘Is there anything else you want done before you arrive here?’ she asked, keeping her tone crisp and level. ‘Mr. Castle instructed me to give you every assistance with the job.’

‘Yes, I thought he would. Is that hard for you, Jayne?’

‘Not at all,’ she tossed off as blithely as she could.

‘I wouldn’t want to make your life miserable again.’

‘Different circumstances, aren’t they?’ she grated, furious that he would imply such a thing in front of the woman he was bringing with him.

‘Of course,’ he agreed. ‘Then we shall meet once more under a full moon. As I recall, the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated when the moon is at its fullest and brightest.’

The line was disconnected before she could make a comeback. Not that she had one. Better not to acknowledge the memory he had evoked anyway. It was in absolutely rotten taste for him to allude to the heady romance of their very first meeting when he was not only carrying on an intimate affair with another woman, but escorting that woman to Lin Zhiyong’s full-moon party!

She crashed the receiver down on its cradle and glared at it with gathering turbulence. Her lips compressed. Dan Drayton had better keep his mind completely focused on work when he was with her. As fond as she was of Monty, her loyalty to him did not extend to tolerating insidious remarks about the past. If Dan Drayton once tried to put anything on her that was inappropriate to the situation, he would get a demonstration of Dragon Lady the like of which no one had ever seen before!

The fax machine signalled an incoming message. Jayne pushed herself to her feet and crossed the office to watch the transmission roll out. It was the official confirmation she had requested for the purpose of satisfying Lin Zhiyong and the team of Chinese engineers that the replacement expert was on his way.

The prime objective had been attained.

She had, indeed, got Dan Drayton.

The only question was whether she would get past this encounter, unscarred, unscathed and unhitched from the man she had once thought she would love forever.

CHAPTER THREE (#ulink_e18f570d-550f-5ca1-b42a-9ab879799c92)

DRAGON LADY…

The name the Chinese had given his wife—she wasn’t ex yet—simmered in Dan Drayton’s mind as Lin Zhiyong’s official car transported him and Baby from the hotel to this evening’s party. It put Dan more and more in a dragon-slaying mood.

The Chinese might find Jayne formidable. He didn’t. She could throw out as much fire as she liked. It couldn’t match the slow burn that had been building in intensity inside him ever since her call. The desire to cut the wind out from under her wings and bring her thumping down to earth was uppermost on his agenda.

Jayne Winter. The denial of his name stung. She had been happy enough to be Jayne Drayton when they were first married. Throwing her maiden name at him was like saying their marriage had never been, scrubbing out the four years they had shared together as though it was nothing to her. He was nothing to her.

That was precisely how she had spoken to him, not the slightest acknowledgement of what they had once meant to each other, not even a civil inquiry about how he was or where he’d been or what he was doing now. What had he ever done to her to deserve being treated as though she had never had any personal, let alone intimate involvement with him?

It riled him even more that she had left him and gone to work for Monty Castle. If she had found sharing his life so intolerable, why had she become personal assistant to a man in the same line of work? And here she was in China, apparently contending easily with a culture that was every bit as foreign as that of Iran.

Baby pointed excitedly to the colourful paper lanterns strung from the trees in the park they were passing. It was a perfect evening and the park was thronged with people out to enjoy the festivities with their families and friends. Traditionally Zhongqiu Jie had always been ‘the Reunion Festival’, an occasion for the expression of nostalgic sentiments.

Dan wondered if Jayne knew that. The irony of it certainly struck him. The only reason for this reunion was Monty Castle’s need for him. Dan didn’t anticipate hearing any nostalgic sentiments from Jayne tonight, but he sure as hell intended to stir some memories.

It was a quixotic twist of fate that these circumstances had arisen. He’d never told Jayne his connection to Monty Castle. By the time they’d met and married, he’d gone way beyond being Monty’s protеgе in the explosives field.

It must have come as a heart-thumping shock when Monty had told her to get him. Though not so much of a shock that she had spilled the fact she was his wife. Monty still didn’t know. That was obvious from their conversation at the hospital this afternoon.

It added another burning question to all the others in Dan’s mind, making him pause before committing himself to helping Monty. A decision on the project could wait until he knew all he needed to know. In a professional sense, he’d already repaid Monty for all he’d learnt from him. He didn’t owe him anything, except the caring that came with mutual liking. As for Jayne…

He cuddled Baby closer, rubbing his cheek over her soft black curls, breathing in the sweet scent of her, taking deep pleasure in the innocence of her love and trust in him. She was his first consideration now, not Jayne, and he had no compunction in ramming that home to the woman who had so comprehensively rejected him.

It had given him a great deal of satisfaction to hear the snippy tone creep into her voice when he had made continual reference to Baby on the telephone. It meant that she wasn’t as indifferent as she wanted to be. He hoped it would hit her hard when she saw Baby, make her take stock of all she had walked away from.

The car came to a halt beside a set of steps that led up to the gate of a high, decorative wall that undoubtedly enclosed the gardens of Lin Zhiyong’s home. The driver alighted to open the passenger door for them.

‘Ready to go on show, Baby?’ Dan asked, smiling indulgently at the small, angel face that gazed adoringly at him.

She smacked her lips in a kiss for him and he laughed, releasing some of the tension he was feeling over this meeting with Jayne. Baby was utterly, captivatingly beautiful.

Eat your heart out, Dragon Lady, Dan thought, stepping from the car. He settled Baby comfortably on his arm and went to confront the woman he had once thought he would love forever.

CHAPTER FOUR (#ulink_d2523bbe-fa91-589f-9185-8eb2a332641d)

THE aim of a Chinese garden was to create a sense of peace and harmony. At some other time Jayne might have been able to enjoy the ambience Lin Zhiyong took such pride in; the graceful fall of willow fronds into the gently meandering pond, the carefully cultivated waterlilies, the artistic arch of the bridge that serviced a splendid pavilion centred over the water. It was all a visual delight, but Jayne was too on edge to feel peace or harmony.

Any minute now Dan Drayton would arrive with his Baby. Lin Zhiyong had sent his car for them. It was an unusually hospitable gesture for him. It was really her responsibility to arrange transport. She hoped Lin Zhiyong wasn’t playing some secret hand. Dan hadn’t actually signed an agreement with Monty yet.

‘I am to be honoured with a special guest this evening,’ the elderly official informed her. ‘He is travelling from Beijing.’

A higher official from the seat of government? Jayne refrained from comment, not knowing what it might mean.

‘It would appear that Mr. Castle has competition for Mr. Drayton’s services.’ he added enigmatically.

More pressure on her to make good her claim that Dan would do as she asked, Jayne thought, hating the sense of being backed into a corner from which there was no escape, yet determined to play out her hand as best she could.

She smiled, exuding every scrap of confidence she could muster. ‘Mr. Drayton has always been a man of his word. It is regrettable that your honoured guest will be disappointed in his quest. However, I am sure his long journey will be rewarded by your hospitality.’

‘It is best that he sees for himself,’ Lin Zhiyong observed, his eyes glinting over Jayne before drifting toward the ornamental gateway into his garden.

At least her appearance had impressed him, Jayne thought, fiercely hoping it would outshine Baby’s. It was not that she was jealous. This was purely politics. Dan was welcome to some other woman in his personal life. She simply needed a professional boost tonight. Besides, it was satisfying to have an appropriate occasion on which to wear the exotic outfit she had bought in Hong Kong.

At the time of purchase, she’d had no idea that the glamorous evening suit could take on another meaning. She had seen it as wonderfully rich and perfect for her height and colouring. Tonight it had a special impact.

The jacket was highly dramatic with a design of dragons in gold and russet woven onto a lustrous pearl silk brocade. The heart-shaped neckline dipped to a row of five buttons that fastened the bodice to figure-moulding tightness. The sleeves were long and fitted, with the dragon motif featuring below the elbow. The jacket flared out over the hips, giving it a winged effect. Below it flowed a beautiful full-length circular skirt in russet silk, gold thread crisscrossing it in a diamond pattern that made it shimmer like dragon scales.