‘How long have you been a widow?’ he queried.

‘Six years-’

‘So you couldn’t have been married that long.’

Abbey realised that he didn’t know as much about her as she had assumed. She told him about the sixteen-year-old drunken joyrider who had caused the accident as the wedding party travelled between church and reception.

Nikolai was sincerely shocked by the story. ‘That was tragic-particularly when your sister-in-law was seriously injured as well.’

‘It ripped the heart out of two families. Jeffrey’s parents have both passed away since then and are sadly missed.’

‘And you’re still mourning?’ Nikolai prompted.

Abbey nodded confirmation. ‘You don’t forget a love like that.’

‘But you and your husband were together such a short time.’

‘Time’s immaterial.’

‘Yet you won’t stay with me tonight, even though it’s what we both want?’

A hot rush of pink discomfiture mantling her cheeks, Abbey decided that it would be undignified arguing that point and she began to eat instead. ‘That’s different.’

Nikolai stroked the back of her clenched hand with a mocking fingertip. ‘I know. I’m not asking you to love me.’

Abbey suppressed a shiver of reaction as she recalled the hot hunger of his mouth on hers and the desire he had unleashed inside her. ‘I don’t need the warning.’

Nikolai surveyed her in frustration. ‘So you’ve already made up your mind about me?’

‘That we don’t suit? Yes,’ Abbey admitted.

‘But we share an amazing passion.’

‘That’s not important to me.’

‘It is to me.’

‘But by next week you’ll find it with someone else,’ Abbey told him with a calm insouciance that set his even white teeth on edge.

‘If I thought that I wouldn’t have gone to so much trouble to persuade you to come here.’