Lost Innocence by Susan Lewis Page B

embrace.
    ‘And you need a shave. Would you like me to cut up the smoked salmon and put it in with the eggs, or would you prefer it on the side?’
    ‘On the side,’ he answered, and giving her a playful slap on the rump he went to pour himself a coffee.
    After taking a sip, he turned and leaned against the unit behind him. For several minutes he watched her whisking the eggs and grinding in salt and black pepper. When she stooped to take warm plates from the oven, he noticed the outline of the thong she was wearing, and because he’d seen her naked so many times he was easily able to conjure an image of her gently rounded buttocks and their silky flesh. He knew already that she wasn’t wearing a bra, because her nipples were evident through the flimsy copper top, and the warmth of her greeting had told him that he wouldn’t be rebuffed if he wanted to take her to bed. What he also knew was why she was being so wifely and welcoming, and it injured him far more than he’d show to feel the ghost of her past love intruding on them again.
    As she set the plates down on a work surface next to a pack of smoked salmon, he took another sip of his coffee and said, quite casually, ‘I hear Alicia’s here.’
    Sabrina continued laying out slices of salmon, then returned to the Aga, apparently pretending she hadn’t heard.
    ‘Did you know?’ he asked.
    ‘Of course,’ she replied. Then with a sigh, ‘I suppose that old busybody of a postman told you.’
    ‘His name’s Sam. So why didn’t you tell me when we spoke last night?’
    ‘Because,’ she answered, picking up the pan to start sharing out the eggs, ‘I didn’t want it playing on your mind during the flight home.’
    He assessed that for a moment, and decided it could be the truth, because in spite of her feelings for Craig, and the dreadful depths she’d sunk to after the break-up, he’d never really doubted how much she cared for him.
    ‘Are you going to see her?’ she asked, putting the pan back on the warming plate.
    ‘She’s my sister, why wouldn’t I?’
    She turned round to face him. ‘I know who she is,’ she said tartly, ‘and I could give you several reasons why you shouldn’t see her, the first being out of loyalty to me.’
    At that his eyebrows gave a flicker of surprise that made her flush, but his only response was to take another sip of coffee as he walked to the table and opened the paper.
    Remembering how important it was to keep him on her side, Sabrina forced down her frustration and finished preparing his breakfast.
    ‘I don’t suppose she told you she was coming,’ she said, when their plates were in front of them and they were both sitting down.
    ‘If she had, I’d have passed the information on,’ he replied, starting to eat.
    Sabrina cut a sliver of salmon, but finding she had no appetite she put down her fork and picked up her coffee. ‘I don’t know how you can sit there so calmly,’ she said, ‘when you know…’
    ‘Sabrina, let’s drop the subject before we start saying things we’ll both end up regretting.’
    ‘You’re the one who brought it up.’
    He couldn’t deny that, but now, knowing how she was taking it, he wished he’d left it to be swept up with the leaves outside and burned to ash that might disappear in the wind.
    ‘I just don’t understand what she’s doing here,’ she went on angrily. ‘She’s got that enormous house in London, God only knows how much in the bank. She could go anywhere, so why…’
    ‘I don’t understand why you’re making it your concern?’ he interrupted irritably. ‘Considering the fact that she’s so recently lost her husband, it might be a little more charitable of you to start trying to mend fences.’
    While her heart jarred on the words, her eyes rounded with disbelief before she gave a scornful laugh. ‘Even if I wanted to, which I do not , do you seriously think she’d listen? She’s so full of hate towards me she’d never even let me through the