When Cassandra reached her room, she was panting. She went straight into her own bathroom and looked in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes over-bright. Her body was too sensitive, and an ache throbbed down low in her belly and between her legs.          She dropped her head, hands gripping the edge of the sink. What was going on with her? Why was she so restless? She did the right thing by leaving Sébastien alone in the living room.          Cassandra went back out into the bedroom and fooled herself into believing that she was doing what she wanted by unpacking her clothes and taking out her toiletries. A silk dress slithered out of her trembling hands to the ground.          After mumbling with discontent, Cassandra picked it up. She’d pulled

          The expression on his face and his tone made Cassandra all at once feel like laughing and getting angry. She picked up a small cushion from the chair beside her and threw it at him, but Sébastien caught it deftly and kept coming.          Dressed in a tuxedo, with his hair still damp from the shower, he was absolutely magnificent. Cassandra had to speak to try and deny the effect he had on her, the way his teasing wound through her and impacted a place that was so deep, so vulnerable.“I’m going to change right now! I knew this dress was a mistake.”          She went to undo the zip that was under her arm, and Sébastien reached her and captured her hand.“Don’t you dare! This dress is beautiful.”          Cass

          Cassandra was still on cloud nine, trembling in his arms. Sébastien pulled her into his chest and cradled her against him. They were still joined intimately, and at that moment she couldn’t ever imagine being separated from this man. She’d never felt like this with her husband, not even in the early days of their marriage when she’d had so many hopes and dreams of a happy future. Something extraordinary had just happened, and Cassandra hated to admit it.           When they reached his apartment, Sébastien carried her straight up to his bathroom and ran them a bath. Then they made love. Again, and again. And now she lay here, blissed out. Complete.           She heard a movement and looked up. He was holding out a big robe. “Come on, chérie, or you’ll turn into a prune.”       &n

          Three intoxicating, passion-filled weeks later, that wonderful day was eluding Cassandra as she looked down from her position in the press box to the VIP area in Croke Park. Déjà vu washed over her as she caught Sébastien’s eye and made a face before turning her attention back to the game between Ireland and England. Her heart was singing, her breath was coming fast, and her entire body was burning.           Cassandra put her intermittent feelings of nausea down to that see-sawing feeling and tried to forget that she’d been compelled to buy an over-the-counter pregnancy test that morning on her way to work after Sébastien had said goodbye to her from her own modestly sized double bed.           She wouldn’t think about her late period or the pregnancy test now. It couldn’t… And yet, a small voice deep inside kept yelling th

          It was vital to move away from him. But after a few steps, Cassandra stopped abruptly as her hand that had been sliding along the counter hit something that froze the blood in her veins.           Instinctively, Cassandra covered it. She knew immediately what it was… She’d left it there in her shock and confusion just minutes before opening the door to let him in.           Sébastien’s eyes darted to where her hand had made the betraying, concealing movement. Cassandra gulped as he looked back at her. She felt guilty since she looked guilty. “What’s that, Cassandra?” “Nothing important,” she said, almost hopefully. “If it’s nothing important, why are you trying to hide it?” “I’m not.” “Show me what it is.” “It’s nothing, Sébastien…” “Now, Cassandra!”