The following day, Bryan drove her to the coast. They spent the day on the sand, swimming in the warm waters of the Gulf of Cadiz. Sharon felt self conscious in her stylish one piece bathing costume. Her stomach hadn't started to swell yet but her waistline had started thickening and she felt embarrassed beneath Bryan's cool searching scrutiny.
'I'm ugly', she said sharply, disconcerted by his silence. 'And soon, I'll hardly be able to move'.
He smiled with understanding. 'You are beautiful', he said softly. 'So beautiful. Pregnancy suits you. I know because it suited you the first time as well as this time. Your eyes are sparkling, your skin is glowing with health which is an improvement from last time's flu though afterwards, you glowed with health like you are doing now. Your body is perfect. You look radiant'.
'I'll bet', she retorted turning away but inside she was burning with happiness at such compliments.
The sea was clear, the beach deserted beneath the hot sun.In the sand at the water's edge lay a huge ruined tower, tilting crazily, the ancient bricks covered with green moss. It looked dangerous, but it was so heavy, it was safe.
Sharon walked round it her feet splashing coolly in the water. She looked at Bryan and her mouth went dry. Wearing only brief black swimming trunks, his hard muscular body gleaned in the harsh light, the muscles rippling beneath tanned skin as he moved.
She stared at his deep powerful chest and wanted him so fiercely that it took her breath away. She dragged her eyes away, her body aching with unsatisfied need and waded into the water to swim.
It was all so hopeless. She could see no end to it. They fought again and again but nothing changed. He didn't love her and she would be trapped by that unbearable, unchangeable knowledge fir the test of her life.
They ate lunch under the rainbow parasols of a small cafe on the edge of the beach.The waiter brought boucadillos stuffed with cheese and seafood, together with a bottle of chilled white wine. Sharon picked st the food, her appetite none existent. Bryan watched her with narrowed eyes, his dark glance caressing when it rested the slender grace of her body. When their eyes met, awareness shot between them, building as the meal continued, until it was unbearable.
Sharon escaped back to the beach as soon as she could, thankful to reach for the protection of her sunglasses, ignoring the mockery she saw in his face. She lay sunbathing, her body relaxed, enjoying the earth against her skin and she watched Bryan undetected as he swam out onto the sea. He was a powerful swimmer,his body cutting swiftly and cleanly through the water. When he returned, she stared at him, his body was graceful, dripping with water. The heavy muscles of his arms tensing as he pushed his hair back from his face. He sat down beside her and she drew a long shaking breath. She turned her head away in silence, relaxation gone, her body going rigid.
'What are you afraid of?' he asked.
She looked at him behind the smokescreen of the glasses. 'I am not afraid of anything', she said airily.
He reached out and gently took the glasses from her nose. 'Tell me again', he said softly, reading the confusion in her wide green eyes.
'Stop bullying me', she replied huskily.
Bryan sighed. Dammit Sharon, I can't go on like this-- it's driving me insane'.
'The situation is of your own making', Sharon retorted shakily. 'I didn't want this'.
'You want me', he said roughly. 'Granted not as much as I want you but you do want me'.
'No', she stood up shaking like a leaf. 'You are wrong'.
'I guess the scars are too deep to forget ', Bryan said flatly. 'But surely not too deep to heal. We've hurt each other badly----'.
'I did nothing. It was you -------' Her eyes flashed with pain and anger.
'You delibrately let me believe that you were seeing Gerhard, You never told me that you and I had a daughter, you delibrately kept her paternity a secret from me so that I thought someone else was responsible', Bryan bit out, cutting her off in mid-- sentence.
Sharon lowered her head flushing.She couldn't deny that. She felt cold even though the sun was hot.
'Can we go back to the house now? I am tired'. There was pleading mingled with the defiance in her voice.
Bryan's eyes probed her closed face. 'Sure, if that's what you want'.
'It is'. She stood up and pulled on her clothes.
They drove back through the baked arid countryside to Serville in silence. When they reached the house, Bryan left without another word, striding away across the courtyard. Sharon watched him go, her vision blurred with tears.
Ana met her at the door, her brown face creased with worry.
'A visitor', she said with difficulty. Her English not very good.
'Who is it?' She couldn't think of anyone who would visit them here.
'Is it someone for the senor?' she asked meaning Fernando be ause that seemed to be the only possible explanation for it.
'No, senora, to see you and senor Ferdinand. She has been here many hours'. Ana was obviously very agitated which added to the mystery.
Sharon followed the maid into the house only to find her self face to face with Devon as she entered the lounge. She could hardly believe her eyes.
The other girl looked pale and beautiful, her light linen suit, immaculate which made Sharon very aware of her salt stained shorts and T - shirt.
For a moment, she was too stunned to speak but Devon's malicious smile brought her back to her senses.
'What are you doing here?' she asked quietly.
'Where is Bryan?' Devin demanded wildly, not answering. 'Where is he? I want to see him. I have been waiting for hours and I haven't been able to get a word of sense out of that stupid maid'.
'I don't know where Bryan is', Sharon said honestly. 'Why have you come here?' she knew that she should offer Devon some hospitality but the febrile glitter in the other girl's eyes frightened her and she found herself wondering if Devon was ill.
She also wondered about her daughter.
'She is beautiful and looked every inch like her father's, Devon said as though she had somehow read Sharon's mind which was uncanny and scared her even more. She felt that she had to keep Deborah away from Devon.
'Won't you sit down?' she said as calmly as she could. 'Snd I will send Ana to find Bryan'.
'That maid is on your side. You are trying to keep him away from me, that's why you came here. But even if you give him a dozen brats, you can't keep him away from me'. Devon said and smiled, a crazy terrifying smile. 'Brenda told me yesterday that you were pregnant'.
Sharon frowned. Gabriel, she thought.
'Well it won't work, you won't keep him. He's mine. He loves me'.