When the Devil Drives

Joanna had accepted his occasional invitations because he wasalways such undemanding company. Martin had never expected anevening at the theatre or a restaurant to end in bed. There had neverbeen any pressure in his brief goodnight kisses to move therelationship to a more intimate level. She'd felt safe with Martin,relaxed. He'd been a friend who was also a man, and there didn't seemto be too many of those around.But her encounter with Cal Blackstone on that rain&wept high roadabove Northwaite had changed everything.She'd felt threatened, pursued, and the kind of casual, uninvolvedrelationships she'd enjoyed with other men up to that point weresuddenly no protection against Cal's intensity of purpose. She'dneeded, with cold desperation, to distance herself from Cal—to putherself totally and finally beyond his reach.She could not even remember now the exact moment when she'ddecided the answer was to marry Martin Bentham, but she couldrecall with shame every trick she'd used to persuade him to propose toher.It had been, in theory, an eminently suitable match, joining twoestablished local families. She'd told herself defensively that sheliked Martin—she really did, and that friendship—companionshipwas reckoned to be a far safer basis for marriage than someungovernable passion. And out of friendship, love would surelygrow—eventually.Their relationship might not have many fireworks, but it would bestable and secure, she'd argued in self- justification. Martin couldn'twant to go on living forever in that hideous Victorian villa beingfussed over by his aunt. And, as another man's wife, she would surelybe safe from Cal Blackstone's machinations forever.