‘Right! I’ll go with you. We’ll find out together.’
He scooped up her door key and the handbag she had laid on the kitchenette counter when she’d grabbed for the telephone. ‘Let’s move,’ he said with an air of unassailable decision, striding back to her and gathering her in to his side as he re-opened the door.
‘Where are you taking me?’ she asked, alarm at being swept out of the security of her own home kicking her heart out of its numb state.
‘I’m taking you to what will be our place.’
He scooped her out of her place, locked the door on it and held on to the key and her handbag as he forcefully escorted her out of the apartment building. Tammy didn’t resist, didn’t protest, either. Her pulse was pounding at her temples as her mind tried to come to grips with what he was telling her.
He wasn’t just staying in Sydney for the ultrasound but acquiring a place for them to live in? Did he mean to give up his work overseas and settle here now? Was fatherhood so important to him? He seemed to have completely dismissed any suspicion that she might have tricked him into it. Which was a huge relief. She would have hated that reaction, would have rejected having anything to do with him under that cloud.
Perhaps his super-brain had told him to bypass it as destructive material which would not get him what he wanted. He’d obviously planned several initiatives since last night and was swamping any possible negativity from her with sheer ruthless speed of action. She barely had time to note that the silver car he was leading her to was not a Porsche. It had the stylish lines of a luxury sedan.
‘Have you gone off sports cars?’ she asked as he opened the front passenger door for her.
‘This is a more suitable family car,’ he answered. ‘The Lexus GS450H, a petrol/electric hybrid with green credentials second to none—great fuel economy, low emissions, whisper-quiet efficiency. It’s the benchmark in social responsibility for other car manufacturers. You’re stepping into the future, Tamalyn.’
She had a far more personal future tearing at her mind. ‘My bag and key, please,’ she demanded before stepping into the car, needing to have some means of independence in this power-play from Fletcher. She couldn’t quite bring herself to believe he intended them to be a proper family, despite the sudden acquisition of a family car.
He passed over her handbag and door key and she settled on the passenger seat. As he closed the door she was wondering just how far ahead his planning went.
‘Like it?’ he asked as he took the driver’s seat.
‘Very classy,’ she answered.
‘It took the prize for best luxury car this year,’ he informed her, starting the engine which was whisper quiet compared to the Porsche.
‘I can see why.’ Everything inside the car shouted highest-scale luxury. Any other time she might have enjoyed riding in it, but today…‘Precisely where are you taking me, Fletcher?’
The thought of being too far from her apartment to easily bolt home stirred a panic attack. She should not have let herself be drawn into a trip that might make everything more difficult.
‘Just down to Blues Point. Only take ten minutes.’
His reply eased some of her inner tension. Such a short distance was walkable. Fletcher kept pointing out the special features of the car as he drove, apparently wanting her impressed with its clever technology and its fantastic inbuilt safety measures. The words floated over Tammy’s head, not sinking in. She didn’t take any notice of where they were travelling, either, until Fletcher turned the car into a garage driveway, activating the security door with a remote control.
Startled, she looked up at a huge block of apartments just before he drove into a basement car-park. ‘You’ve rented a place here?’
‘No.’ He flashed a winning grin at her as he brought the car to a halt beside an elevator. ‘I’ve started the process of buying one here.’
‘When?’ The stunned question spilled from her lips.
‘It was shown to me this morning.’
He was out of the car before she could find wits enough to question him further, bounding around it to open her door and help her out. The moment she was on her feet, he linked her arm with his, slammed the car door shut and placed a finger to her lips to prevent her asking for more information. ‘Wait!’ he commanded. ‘I want you to see.’
He looked both arrogantly sure of himself and brimming with barely contained excitement. Tammy kept her mouth shut, his confidence and high spirits fuelling a growing excitement in her. Maybe she was worrying for nothing. A home in Sydney, a family car, an interest in fatherhood…
Fletcher hugged her arm tightly, possessively, as he led her to the elevator. She didn’t see what button he pressed. The doors closed and he swept her into his embrace as the compartment began to rise.
‘I told you I’d give you anything you wanted, Tamalyn,’ he said, then kissed her, and kept kissing her until the elevator came to a halt.
Tammy was giddy with wildly impassioned pleasure as he swept her out to a lobby and straight to a door which he quickly unlocked and thrust wide open, stepping inside and scooping her with him. She was instantly stunned by a 180-degree view of Sydney Harbour—the great coathanger bridge towering over the gleaming white sails of the opera house, Darling Harbour, Anzac bridge, the skyline of the city, the whole expanse of sparkling blue water and the boats and ferries making their white tracks over it.
‘Remember at Kirsty’s wedding you said there was more spectacular beauty here than anywhere else in the world? Well, now we have it to ourselves,’ Fletcher said with triumphant satisfaction.
She shook her head in amazement, walking dazedly towards the fantastic wall of glass that encompassed a luxury-packed living area; white leather lounges, glass tables on white marble blocks, beautiful large mats patterned in shades of turquoise, blue and aqua on the gleaming white tiled floor. Her hands gestured helplessly at the fabulous furnishings.
‘How did you get all this done?’
‘The vendors have bought elsewhere. They wanted this apartment sold as it is—lock, stock and barrel.’ He waved dismissively. ‘But if this decor is not to your taste, we can replace it with whatever you do like.’
He said it so carelessly, money no object. Of course, it couldn’t be. He was a billionaire. Strange how that had never been quite real to her. Only the man had ever mattered. But this apartment certainly hit her in the face with his enormous wealth. It must have cost him many millions. And suggesting the option of refurnishing to her taste…I’ll give you anything you want, Tamalyn.