Free Conveniently His Omnibus by Penny Jordan

a deadly paralysis.
    It was impossible for her to move away even when his slightly stunned glance slid over her, taking in the brevity of her bikini. She could almost see him cringing away from her, she thought bitterly, immediately stepping back and retreating to her own towel. Why on earth hadn’t she put on something more discreet, covered herself up a little more? If she carried on like this much longer he might begin to think that she was...what? Trying to seduce him?
    Prickles of heat ran across her skin, her body tense. What a ridiculous thought...of course she didn’t want that. After all, one of the main reasons she had married him had been to escape from any sort of sexual involvement.
    Confused and alarmed by both her thoughts and her feelings Sophy got up and rolled up her towel.
    ‘Had enough?’ Jon asked mildly, watching her.
    ‘It’s almost time to pick up the children.’ It was true, after all. ‘I’ve left all your post on your desk if you want to go through it.’
    There, that made her feel better—restored their relationship to its proper footing—reminded her that there was nothing between them other than a business relationship and a certain amount of cool friendship, and that was the way she wanted it, she told herself firmly. She had the children to share her love with...
    Love! She froze, staring blindly into space. How on earth had that crept into her thoughts?
    The sudden touch of Jon’s fingers on her bare arm made her jump visibly and swing round. He was standing right behind her, holding his empty lemonade glass, watching her rather uneasily.
    ‘Sorry if I shocked you. I just wanted to say I’ll come with you to get the kids.’
    ‘Very well. It won’t take me long to shower and get changed.’
    For the first time it hit her that she was behaving far from naturally with Jon. She no longer felt completely at ease in his company...far from it.
    She was as good as her promise, arriving back downstairs again within half an hour, dressed comfortably in a soft, mint-green cotton skirt and a pastel-toned, patterned shirt.
    Jon had his usual battle clambering into the car. ‘Next week we get a new car,’ he told her wryly as she drove off, adding, ‘Is there any make in particular that appeals to you?’
    Sophy shook her head.
    ‘I’m told BMW make a good vehicle,’ Jon offered. ‘How about them?’
    ‘They’re very expensive,’ Sophy warned him.
    Beside her, Jon shrugged. ‘That doesn’t matter...safety and comfort do.’
    ‘You managed to sort everything out in Nassau, then?’ Sophy asked when the silence began pressing painfully on her screaming nerves.
    ‘Yes. Oh, that reminds me...Harry Silver, my contact over there, will be coming to stay in Cambridge soon for a week or so. He and I used to be at university together. I’d like to invite him and his wife over for dinner one night.’
    He might just as well be an employer giving his housekeeper her instructions, Sophy thought bitterly, immediately chiding herself for the thought. She was the one at fault, she was reacting in a totally unfamiliar and unreasonable way and had been ever since she walked into Jon’s room and found him there.
    That must be it, she decided, relieved to have hit upon an explanation for her behaviour. It was the shock. The shock of seeing him, a mocking inner voice demanded, or the shock of how she had seen him?
    ‘Is anything wrong?’
    Sophy bit her lip. So even Jon had noticed her tension. ‘No...I think it’s just this heat,’ she gave him a brief smile. ‘Sometimes I find it a bit wearing. Unlike you.’
    A strange silence followed her last two words, and for some reason Sophy felt constrained to explain them. ‘That is...you’ve got such a good tan you must enjoy sunbathing.’
    ‘There were times when I had to wait for them to run certain tests. Lillian was kind enough to take pity on me and let me have the use of her patio and pool whilst I was doing so.’
    ‘Lillian?’ Sophy