There was a pause when the coffee arrived. Gemma reflected on the single-mindedness of the man sitting opposite. He’d known what he wanted and gone after it. He been responsible for a large part of his success. There was a lot more to him than the playboy image he projected to the media.

After they’d finished their coffees Angelo walked back to her unit. At the door he took the key from her and unlocked the door before following her in.

Gemma’s heart started to knock against her ribs.

“Another coffee?” she asked, desperate for something to do while he stood in her space. Her voice was several notches higher than usual.

“Why not?” Mercifully, he moved away, and Gemma was able to breathe again. He picked up the photo on the bench top and instantly the tension was back, turning her rigid with anxiety. Her breath ragged, she said, “No sugar, right?”

“Black. No sugar.”

It figured he wouldn’t share her lethally sweet tooth. She emptied sweetener into her coffee and hoped she’d be able to sleep tonight given all the caffeine she was consuming.

“You’re holding a cat.”

“What?” She stared at him trying to make sense of the comment, to reconcile it with the rising tension that incapacitated her, numbed her ability to think straight.

“In the photo, you’re holding a cat.” His voice was endlessly patient.

Her brow wrinkled. “Yes, Snuggles.”

“You told me you were allergic to cats.”

Uh-huh. Gemma stiffened, wary of a trap. “I am,” she said slowly. “Snuggles belongs to my parents.”

“So why are you holding him? In the churchyard you told me how cats affect you.”

Tell him.

She stared at him, her mind went blank. Her tongue felt thick, she scratched for words. “Because he always comes to me. He likes to see me red-eyed and sneezy.”

That, at least, was true. Snuggles, the darn cat, had a wicked sense of the misery he caused her. But of course, the real truth was that she wasn’t holding Snuggles in the photo. Mandy was. And Mandy had no allergy to felines of any description.

The tightrope of lies she was balancing upon became ever more precarious. And when Angelo put the photo down, she said a prayer of thanks and placed the two mugs on the coffee table in front of the loveseat.

Appearing satisfied with her explanation, he sank onto the plump seat. “When are you thinking of leaving?”

“Tomorrow. I’ll catch the midday ferry, spend a couple of days in Athens sightseeing and then I’ll fly back to Auckland.”

“It’s too soon.” His eyes turned to flame. “Come here.”

Tell him. “Angelo-” Gemma backed up at the intent in his brilliant eyes “-I’m not going to sleep with you.”

“Who said anything about sleeping?” There was an intimacy in his gaze that did dangerous things to her equilibrium. “I just want a kiss.”

A kiss…one final kiss…She went into his arms. It felt like she was coming home. And that created a maelstrom of emotions churning within her. Guilt. Confusion. Regret that she hadn’t met him long before Mandy.

But it didn’t stop her responding to him.

When he lifted his head they were both breathing fast.

“Some kiss,” she said.

He didn’t smile. Eyes intent, he said, “I have to leave for Kalos tomorrow. I have a series of meetings there. Come with me.”

She started to shake her head.

“Please, come. You can stay as long as you like. I don’t want you to leave again.”

He still thought she was Mandy. But Mandy was dead. And she was alive.

Disturbed by the direction her thoughts were taking, she rose. She needed to tell him the truth. And leave. She couldn’t allow herself to be tempted to stay. Even though she wanted to. More than anything.

He grasped her hand and pulled her back. She landed on his lap. With an embarrassed laugh she struggled to extricate herself. He wouldn’t let her.

Face close to hers, he said, “I want to spend time with you-more than I want you in my bed.” There was a hint of bewilderment in his eyes.

And that was when Gemma knew he felt it, too. This strong, enduring bond between them that was turning her life upside down, forcing her to reevaluate who she was and what she wanted from her life.

“Okay, I’ll come.”

His eyes lit up. He raised her hand to his lips, turned it over and placed a soft, seductive kiss inside her wrist. “You won’t regret it.”

Gemma gave him a look of disbelief. Of course she was going to regret it. But she couldn’t let the chance to spend a few more days with him pass.

Poseidon’s Cavern, the resort on Kalos, was magnificent. At the centre of the main resort complex Angelo had installed a giant tank filled with sea creatures and fish. Walking through the lobby, she was drawn to the tank to stare at the rays flapping past the viewing windows.

“This is fantastic.” She turned to Angelo. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I brought you here before. Doesn’t it stir any memories?”

Gemma’s excitement dimmed and she shook her head, hating the lie that she’d trapped herself in.

“Don’t worry. Later I’ll show the rest of the complex. There’s a bar and a restaurant with a fabulous view of the tank. They were designed to feel like part of an underwater grotto. Aside from the theatre and cinemas, there’s a water theme park to keep you busy. On the south side of the island we’ve used the underwater caves in the theme park and we’ll take a ride through them tomorrow. It will be a little cool this time of the year, but it’s spectacular down there and it’s something that we hadn’t completed last time you were here.”

“That’s sounds lovely.” But the best part was that it was an experience where she wasn’t following in Mandy’s footsteps. She wouldn’t have to worry about how her twin had reacted.

Not that she was worried about Angelo working the truth out any more. If he hadn’t twigged by now that she wasn’t Mandy, but her twin sister, it was unlikely that he was going to discover the truth. But she couldn’t allow this to go on.

A week, she decided. She’d give herself a week. And then she’d tell him. That night she made love to him with the fervour of the damned. Afterwards he looked at her with a question in his eyes.

When Angelo disappeared the following morning to his all-day meeting, Gemma took one look at the overcast sky, then spent a couple of hours examining the enormous tank inside the resort and reading the plaques about the occupants. Later in the morning she made her way to the heated conservatory pool where she was stunned by the sight of Jean-Paul tanning himself beside a svelte blonde.

“Cherie.” He leapt up when he saw her. Gemma turned her head, and the kiss intended for her mouth landed on her cheek.

“Has Apollonides allowed you out your cage, pet?”

His words riled her. “Looks like you’ve acquired a pet of your own.” Gemma gave the blonde a meaningful look.

“She is nothing. I’d drop her like a hot potato if you showed any interest.”

His faked heartbroken expression made Gemma glare at him. “You’re a wicked man.”

“Who loves to do wicked things, remember?” His voice dropped to husky intimacy.

She didn’t want to go there. “I don’t want to remember.”

“Ah, the big fish pays better. How can I blame you?” Jean-Paul sounded philosophical. A waiter materialised at his elbow. “Ah, pull up a lounger for the lady. Gemma, let me order you something to drink and we can catch up on old times.”

Gemma wasn’t that keen to catch up on old times but she badly wanted to quiz him about Mandy. So she opted for a coffee-and so did Jean-Paul’s companion whom he introduced as Birgitte. She turned out to be Swedish and, besides having a wonderful figure, appeared to be thoroughly nice. Gemma couldn’t help regretting her pet crack. After they’d finished their coffees Birgitte took off to the nearby spa.

“Are you ready for a swim?” Jean-Paul asked.

“In a while.”

“I’m sure it won’t be long before Apollonides arrives-and he won’t like finding you in my company.” Jean-Paul looked pleased at the prospect.

Men! Gemma gave a mental headshake. “Angelo doesn’t own me. He said I could drink with whom I liked.” But apprehension shivered through her.

“If he pays your bills, he owns you. That’s how a man thinks.”

“How awful.” Gemma took the gap he unwittingly provided. “Speaking of bills, after my last encounter with you three years ago my credit card suffered more damage than I expected. I must have gambled more than I’d intended.”

“You’re calling it gambling now?” Moreau shot her guarded look and Gemma’s interest picked up. He knew.

She gave him an enticing smile. “What would you prefer me to call my little secret, hmm?”

“Cherie, better to keep quiet about that. Apollonides might not be happy about your little habit.”

So Angelo hadn’t known. Or at least that was what Jean-Paul believed. Gemma frowned. That was not the impression Mandy had given Gemma before her death. I loved him, he ruined me.

“Did you share my little secret?” It was a shot in the dark. The memory of her sister’s wan, sunken face, her listless eyes, her shaking hands still haunted Gemma.

Jean-Paul’s gaze sharpened. “Why are you asking me these questions?” His eyes dropped to the shirt over her swimsuit. He pushed the buttons aside.

“Hey, what are you doing? Take your hands off me!”

“Sorry…I thought…it doesn’t matter.”

But Gemma put it together. “It was you. You introduced her to the drugs that killed her.”

“What do you mean her? And what are you talking about, saying I introduced her to drugs?” Jean-Paul’s gaze darted around, examining everyone in the immediate surround.

Gemma realised her indiscretion. She’d nearly given away the fact that she was not the woman he thought she was. She couldn’t afford another slip like that. “You were the source, the supplier.”