Читать книгу Sensual Encounter - Кэрол Мортимер, Кэрол Мортимер - Страница 6

RICHARD JAMES had become a customer of her agency six months ago, and had begun to pursue her immediately, the advertising they were doing for his numerous high-class clothing stores for women giving him a good excuse for seeing Kate often.

But six months ago Brian Linton had been very much a part of her life, and her rebuffs to Richard, although polite, had been exactly that.

But she had made a decision three months ago, and she had stuck to it. Brian had found himself a rich woman to marry, so she would marry well too. When she got back to London three months ago Richard had been in Europe on a promotional tour, but as soon as he returned last month she had shown him, without being too obvious, that she was no longer averse to his attentions. With a sophistication she had soon learnt was second nature to him he had begun a slow wooing, starting with flowers and small gifts, working up to the suggestion of a casual evening together to discuss his advertising. The subject of advertising hadn’t been mentioned once during the whole evening, and when he asked to see her again she had willingly agreed. The wooing no longer went slowly after that. Yesterday he had asked her to marry him, and once again Kate hadn’t hesitated.

She hadn’t allowed for the fact that Jared might demand readmission to her life. Richard was well aware of the fact that she and Brian had been intimate—at twenty-four he didn’t demand virginity from her!—but she doubted he would understand her affair with Jared. Was Jared the type to kiss and tell? She didn’t think so, although if he made any more unexpected appearances at her flat like tonight Richard might become suspicious of the fact that Jared was looking for Gill at all. If he came back—and Kate felt sure he would—she would just have to make sure he understood that their time together meant nothing to her, that she didn’t want to see him again. Richard was the man in her life now, and he would remain the only man.

‘Do you realise how happy you’ve made me?’ He held the hand that bore his ring, taking it to his lips to kiss her palm. ‘When can we be married?’

She blotted everything out of her mind but Richard and their wedding plans. ‘When would you like to be married?’

‘Tonight.’ His dark gaze held hers.

She laughed softly. ‘That’s a little too soon for me. Would next month do?’

‘If it has to,’ he grimaced. He was not the most patient of men when it came to getting something he wanted.

‘I think so, Richard.’ She was suddenly serious. ‘I told you about this new account I’m trying to acquire—I’d like to settle that before we’re married.’

‘Isn’t Melfords a little high for you to aim, darling?’ He quirked dark brows. ‘After all, it’s a multi-million-pound perfume industry.’

‘And I’m just a small not-very-well-known agency.’ She spoke the words he hadn’t. If there was one thing about Richard that annoyed her—and it was the only thing!—it was the way he liked to underestimate her work, treating her career almost like a hobby she would soon tire of. He was of the old school, a wife was to adorn his house and table, to warm his bed and body, not to go out to work or have a career of her own. But the agency was hers, she had worked it up from nothing into a successful business, and she had no intention of giving it up, not now or when they were married. ‘There was a rumour that Melfords were no longer satisfied with the work Hazeldene was doing for them. I made enquiries, and they didn’t deny the rumour. At the moment they haven’t said yes to the new ideas I sent them, but neither have they said no. The head of their advertising department told me that they’re considering them.’

‘Considering them, darling,’ Richard drawled. ‘You really mustn’t get your hopes up too high.’

Kate had told herself the same thing, but the fact that her ideas were even being considered had given her hope. If she did get the contract—and she was well aware it was only an if—then the fee she would receive for her work would make her a very rich woman in her own right. It would be the final irony if Brian had left her for nothing, if she had as much money as the rich widow he had made his wife.

‘I stand as much of a chance as anyone else,’ she told Richard confidently. ‘I have a good reputation, and some well-known and satisfied customers.’

‘But none as big as Melfords,’ he reasoned.

‘Perhaps not,’ she conceded, knowing that Richard’s own company was the largest on her books, a fact he was probably aware of too. ‘But maybe that’s why I stand a chance. All the big agencies tend to have similar ideas; I pride myself on my originality. You’re satisfied with your advertising, aren’t you, darling?’ she asked lightly.

‘Of course,’ he flushed. ‘Although I have to admit I would have given you the contract even if I weren’t; I was determined to have you from the first, Kate.’

‘Thank you,’ she smiled, although his words didn’t please her. She knew he meant to flatter, and yet in doing so he took away from her achievement as a businesswoman. ‘And now you have me, are you going to feed me?’ she mocked him.

‘Of course.’ He straightened. ‘We must celebrate our engagement properly, mustn’t we?’

And celebrate they did, going on to a club after their meal, dancing until the early hours of the morning when Kate told Richard she really would have to get home. Tomorrow was a working day for her, and although she was the boss she wasn’t just a figurehead, but took an interest in all of her clients, her personal service being part of the rapidly growing success of the agency. Clients didn’t like to feel that anyone was inaccessible to them, she had learnt over the years.

It was after two when they arrived at her flat, and Richard declined coming in for coffee, arranging to see her the following day. His decision not to come in pleased Kate; until that moment she had been unsure of what he would expect of her now that she wore his ring. From their first date she had made it clear that she had no intention of going to bed with him, and although he had respected that up to now she hadn’t been sure if it would still apply. He had clearly shown her that it did.

Her kiss goodnight was all the more passionate in her gratitude; she had decided, after the way Brian had taken advantage of her, and her impetuous time with Jared, that any other man that desired her now was going to have to marry her first. Richard was proving that he intended doing just that.

‘We’ll discuss the honeymoon tomorrow,’ he told her throatily. ‘How does a month in my bedroom sound?’

‘Only a month?’ she teased, her mouth bare of lip-gloss now, although her hair still remained in its sleek chignon, her eyes a luminous gold.

‘To start with,’ he growled. ‘After that I might let you out for short periods of time—as long as you make it up to me when you get back!’

Kate was smiling to herself as she went up to her flat. Richard had earnt his reputation as the playboy head of James Fashions, a succession of beautiful women passing through his life; she believed him when he said he intended their marriage to be a highly sensual one.

As she searched through her evening bag for her key the door suddenly swung open in front of her. Her startled gaze moved up from the bare feet, the denim-clad legs, the navy blue sweat-shirt and short leather jacket which emphasised the breadth of powerful shoulders. Lastly, the face, the ruggedly handsome face dominated by a roguish smile and laughing blue eyes, thick dark hair falling untidily over his forehead.

Jared’s presence in her flat was so unexpected that for a moment Kate was speechless, just stood there staring at him in numbed surprise.

‘You’d better come in.’ Jared grasped her arm and pulled her inside. ‘You look a little strange standing on your own doorstep in that way.’

As the door closed behind them Kate came out of her shock. This was the second time tonight that her door had opened to reveal this man—and this time he was standing on the wrong side of it! ‘What are you doing here?’ She threw her evening bag down on the side-table, the key superfluous now. ‘How did you get in?’ she glared at him furiously.

He threw himelf down into one of the armchairs, draping one of his legs over the arm, swinging his bare foot back and forth. ‘I told the caretaker I’m your brother,’ he told her cheerfully, without regret.

‘My brother?’ she exclaimed in disbelief, her eyes wide gold pools. ‘But I don’t have a brother!’

‘You do now,’ he grinned.

‘I—You—When I moved into this flat I told the management I don’t have any family here in England, least of all a brother—–’

‘You don’t?’

‘—and I consider this an invasion of my privacy. Ben had no right to let you in!’ she finished with a fierce glare.

‘Ben?’

‘The caretaker!’

‘Oh,’ Jared nodded understanding. ‘I have to tell you I was very convincing as your relative. I told him all about Great-Aunt Bertha and her recent demise.’

‘Geat-Aunt Bertha?’ she repeated dazedly. ‘But I don’t have a Great-Aunt Bertha!’

‘I know that,’ he laughed. ‘But Ben thinks you’re going to come into a considerable fortune now that she’s dead, that I’ve come here to tell you all about it. You must realise that he thought you would want to know as soon as possible that you’re a rich woman?’

‘Don’t worry,’ her mouth was tight. ‘I don’t intend making things difficult for Ben, but I will make sure he knows not to let in my long-lost brother again,’ she derided. ‘Do you realise how awkward this could have been if I’d brought Richard up with me?’

He shrugged. ‘I watched out of the window, he drove off as soon as you entered the building.’

Kate sighed her displeasure. ‘You have no right to be here. Didn’t I make it plain enough earlier this evening, I don’t want to see you again?’ She was breathing hard in her agitation.

Jared nodded. ‘I did seem to detect a certain amount of reluctance on your part. But I had nowhere else to go, and Gill was already otherwise engaged.’

So she had been right about the man in the Lamborghini! ‘So that’s the reason you came back.’ She stood over his chair. ‘I don’t want you here, Jared. There, is that plain enough for you?’ she derided with sarcasm. ‘We spent a couple of days together several months ago and you think that allows you to intrude on my life now, to coming into my home like this. Well, let me tell you—–’

‘Tell me later, Kate,’ he encouraged throatily, one hand grasping her wrist as he pulled her easily down into the chair with him. ‘God, you’re more beautiful than ever,’ he groaned before his mouth claimed hers, the pressure of his body above hers forcing her back into the chair.

She didn’t want to respond to him, knew that she should push him away, and yet at her first tentative rejection of him her mouth began to part under his, her arms moving up about his neck as her fingers became entangled in the thick dark hair at his nape.

‘Beautiful,’ he murmured against her throat, slipping the silver jacket from her shoulders to seek out the hollows there, his lips trailing a fire down to the curve of her breasts, his hands on her hips drawing her in to him, telling her of his arousal.

As she gazed down at the dark head below her, felt his lips at her breasts, she knew this was wrong, and she pushed at his chest in earnest now, fighting the languor that was coursing through her body.

‘What is it?’ Jared looked up at her with bewildered eyes, his sensual arousement obvious in their smoky blue depths. ‘What’s wrong, darling?’ He cupped either side of her face with his long sensitive hands as he searched her face.

‘I don’t want you here!’ Kate managed to struggle up from the chair and stood up, her breasts heaving beneath the black dress in her agitation. ‘You see this,’ her left hand shook as she held it out to him, the diamond in her ring sparkling its possession. ‘This means I belong to another man!’

‘Richard James?’ His voice was soft, dangerously so, the laughing blue eyes suddenly watchful.

She searched the rugged features warily, suddenly conscious of his change of mood, of the steel in his nature she hadn’t even believed possible. So far in their acquaintance Jared had given her the impression that little angered or annoyed him, that he lived a pretty easygoing existence, working when he needed to, not bothering when he didn’t, and yet at this moment he did look angry, his eyes narrowed, his nostrils flared, his mouth a taut line, the jaw beneath this rigid with tension.

What right did he have to be angry, what right did he have to be here at all! He was a drifter, a man without ties or commitment, what could he possibly give her, except the same heartache she had known in the past?

‘How did you know his name?’ she questioned haughtily. ‘You didn’t know him earlier.’

His mouth twisted as he stood up, his hands thrust into the back pockets of his denims. ‘I made the connection later between Richard and Richard James. Everyone has heard of him, seen him too. He isn’t exactly an elusive figure in the City, is he?’ Jared added mockingly.

‘Whether he is or isn’t is not important, the fact that I wear his ring is,’ she snapped.

‘Wear it again, don’t you mean?’ he drawled.

Kate frowned. ‘I don’t know what you mean …’

Jared gave a deep shrug. ‘When we met you had an indentation on that finger, as if from wearing a ring. Did you and James fall out, is that the reason you buried yourself in that hotel?’

She turned away. Jared was much more observant than she had given him credit for; she hadn’t realised he had noticed that patch of slightly paler skin on her wedding finger. But that hadn’t been from wearing Richard’s ring, she had accepted that for the first time tonight.

‘Well, is he?’

She spun round quickly as she realised how close Jared was standing, and stepped back with a frown. ‘No, he isn’t, and no, we didn’t! My reasons for being at the hotel are none of your business—–’

‘Then why did you remove his ring?’ Jared pursued relentlessly. ‘Taking the week off, were you? Having a little affair on the side?’

‘No, I wasn’t!’ Her eyes flashed her indignation. ‘Richard and I weren’t engaged then.’

Jared clasped her hand, turning it over to look at the thick platinum band. ‘No,’ he acknowledged softly. ‘The mark on your finger was thinner than this ring could have made.’ He looked up at her with a frown. ‘You wore another man’s ring here?’

She snatched her hand away, glaring at him. ‘I don’t have to tell you anything!’

He whistled softly through his even white teeth. ‘It was another man. Katharine Mary, you surprise me.’

‘Why?’ Her tone was bitter at the gentle mockery in the deliberately Irish lilt to his voice as he said her name.

‘You don’t appear to be an indecisive woman, in fact the opposite, and here you are changing fiancés like you would a blouse!’

Kate eyed him with suspicion, but his expression remained deliberately bland. ‘Are you laughing at me?’ she asked slowly.

He grinned suddenly, one of those wide boyish grins that gave him such a rakish air. ‘Whatever gave you that idea?’

Her anger boiled up to gigantic proportions. ‘What’s so funny about my previous fiancé turning out to be a louse, and the fact that Richard is one of the most powerful and richest men in London?’

‘It’s an inside joke,’ Jared taunted lightly. ‘You wouldn’t get it at all.’

‘I don’t!’ she snapped.

He shrugged. ‘I told you you wouldn’t.’

Kate gave an impatient sigh. ‘Will you just get out of here,’ she said wearily, ‘and take your Irish wit with you.’

‘Oh, I’m not Irish,’ he ignored her first request. ‘My father was, but I’m strictly English.’

‘In that case you spend little enough time here!’ she derided his need to travel.

He nodded. ‘I intend changing all that. In fact, I could just decide to settle in one place.’

‘I’m sure the social services will be relieved!’

‘Hm?’ Jared looked puzzled.

‘They’ll have a permanent address to send your dole money to!’

A smile quirked the firmness of his lips. ‘Again you surprise me, Katharine Mary. You were a little abrupt when we first met, but I don’t remember you being downright nasty.’

She met his gaze in challenge. ‘Well, now you know. And stop calling me Katharine Mary; my name is Kate.’

‘To your friends,’ he acknowledged. ‘I wasn’t sure I still came in that category.’

‘You don’t,’ she told him crossly. ‘But I haven’t been called Katharine since I was at school.’

‘I think I prefer it,’ he said thoughtfully.

She gave him a saccharine-sweet smile. ‘Isn’t it a pity your preferences don’t interest me!’

He gave a wry laugh. ‘I once told you I like your quick mind,’ he grimaced. ‘But I can tell you now that it’s starting to wear a bit thin, with those snide remarks of yours. Perhaps I prefer women without intelligence after all.’

‘I’m glad to hear it,’ she scorned. ‘I’m sure you’ve had a lot of experience with them. Now if you wouldn’t mind, we’ve been talking for over an hour; I’d like to get to bed.’

‘Good idea,’ he nodded cheerfully.

‘Well?’ she prompted as he made no effort to go.

Jared looked puzzled. ‘Well what?’

‘Shouldn’t you be going somewhere too?’ she said exasperatedly.

‘Oh, don’t mind me,’ he grinned blandly. ‘I’m not sleepy yet. I had a nap on the sofa while you were out—my body clock is still out, you see.’

She didn’t give a damn if he hadn’t slept for days, she just wanted to get some sleep herself! ‘I don’t think I’m getting through to you, Jared,’ she sighed tautly. ‘I want you to leave now—go,’ she spoke slowly, clearly, so that there should be no more misunderstandings. ‘I want to go to bed.’

‘Go?’ he repeated in a puzzled voice. ‘But where would I go at three o’clock in the morning?’

‘I really don’t give a damn where you go, I just want you to leave!’

He shook his head. ‘I can’t.’

‘Can’t?’

‘Nope,’ he confirmed lightly. ‘I don’t have any money, you see. The job in Canada didn’t turn out to be the success I thought it would be, I only just had enough money to get myself back to dear old England.’

‘I’ll lend you some money to—–’ He was shaking his head before Kate had even completed her suggestion! ‘No?’ she rasped tightly.

He continued to shake his head. ‘I never take money from a woman.’

‘But if I insist …’

‘I still couldn’t do it.’ He pursed his lips thoughtfully. ‘Besides, what respectable hotel would appreciate my turning up for a room this time of the morning?’

‘London doesn’t stand on ceremony, you know that. It’s a city of transients.’

‘Maybe,’ he conceded. ‘But I’m really quite comfortable where I am.’

And she was far from being comfortable! Jared couldn’t possibly stay in her flat overnight. What if Richard should find out?

‘I’ll leave first thing in the morning, I promise,’ Jared seemed to be reading her thoughts. ‘You have a spare bedroom, just let me stay here tonight.’

She was beginning to feel too tired to argue any more, with the thought of her full day at the agency looming in front of her. ‘All right,’ she agreed tautly. ‘But you stay in the spare room, and you leave first thing in the morning,’ she warningly echoed his words.

‘Of course.’ He somehow contrived to look hurt. ‘Didn’t I just say I would?’

‘What you say and what you do are two different things,’ she bit out.

His eyes darkened, the laughter fading from them for a few minutes. ‘Not me, Katharine Mary,’ he told her softly. ‘I always mean what I say, and I always do it too.’

‘A man of his word, hmm?’ she sneered with bitterness.

The humour still didn’t return. ‘I’m sorry you’ve been hurt, my Katharine,’ his voice almost caressed. ‘And one day I’d like to hear about the man who did the hurting. Although I realise that right now,’ he taunted at the rebellion in her face, ‘you would rather tell me to go to hell for daring to intrude into your private pain.’

‘You realise right,’ she rasped harshly. ‘You’ll find clean linen in the cupboard in the spare-room,’ she added tiredly. ‘I trust you know how to make a bed?’

He grinned. ‘I already have.’

Kate gave a disbelieving frown, marching over to open the door to her spare bedroom. The bed was neatly made up, the top covers turned back invitingly. She turned to Jared with blazing eyes. ‘You were very confident!’

‘Not really,’ he shook his head. ‘I just know my Katharine Mary.’

‘You don’t know me. And I’m not your anything!’

He shrugged. ‘I think the answer to both those statements is, not yet.’

‘Not ever!’

He sighed. ‘Please yourself.’

‘I intend to!’

‘And I intend pleasing myself too,’ he looked at her in challenge. ‘And being with you pleases me more than anything else. You really shouldn’t have run out on me like you did.’

‘I didn’t run out on you,’ she denied. ‘It was time to leave the hotel, so I left.’

‘While I was making a telephone call!’

‘We had nothing more to say to one another, we’d already said goodbye.’

‘Strange,’ Jared drawled, ‘I don’t remember that. I remember asking you to go to North America with me.’

‘And I thought you would understand my answer,’ she scorned.

‘Maybe I did,’ he nodded. ‘But the Rourkes have never been known to give up.’

For a social drop-out that was a very strange statement! Jared seemed to read her thoughts once again, for his mouth twisted wryly.

‘Maybe I just need the right woman to help me settle down,’ he said lightly.

Kate’s head went back. ‘Well, don’t look at me!’

‘Was I?’ he teased.

‘You know you were,’ she dismissed abruptly. ‘But I’m going to marry Richard next month.’

‘Of course you are,’ Jared nodded.

‘Jared?’

He turned, his brows raised in innocent query. ‘Hm?’

Kate sighed, putting up a weary hand to her forehead, unconsciously using her left hand, the diamond there sparkling brightly, unknowingly provoking the man standing opposite her.

‘Don’t worry, me darlin’,’ once again he spoke with an Irish brogue, pulling her towards him, ‘I’m sure the best man will win.’

‘Jared, there is no contest—–’

‘Ssh, Katharine Mary,’ he spoke into her hair. ‘You’re too tired tonight to think straight.’ He kissed her chastely on the forehead.

‘There’s nothing to think about!’ She pulled away from him, glaring her anger. ‘I want you gone from here before I get up in the morning, do you understand?’

Jared looked unperturbed by her vehemence. ‘Perfectly. Now don’t frown like that,’ he advised. ‘It’ll give you wrinkles.’

With one last exasperated glare she turned and slammed into her bedroom, gritting her teeth to stop herself going back to confront him again as she heard him mutter something about waking the neighbours. They were her neighbours, damn it, and she would wake them if she wanted to!

Heavens, she was being ridiculous now! Of course she didn’t want to wake the neighbours.

What had she done to bring that tormentor back into her life? It hadn’t been her doing at all, if it hadn’t been for Brian she would never have been at that hotel in the first place!

She and Brian had met at art college five years ago, and liked each other immediately, spending most of their time together, Kate often cooking for them both in her room. They had fallen into the habit of meeting most evenings, eating a meal together and then spending the rest of the time talking or listening to music. They had been halcyon days, when the future was only as far as tomorrow, and there was still the present to enjoy.

When their college days were over Kate went to work for an advertising agency, not being good enough to become a professional artist herself, but knowing that Brian was. She hadn’t minded helping to support him as he struggled to make a name for himself, hadn’t cared at all that they rarely went out, or that the engagement ring he had given her on her twenty-first birthday still hadn’t been given the accompanying plain gold band even three years later. She understood and respected the fact that Brian wanted to be established in his art before committing himself to marriage.

The time hadn’t passed slowly for her. Her own career had progressed very satisfactorily along the path she had chosen, her father helping her out financially when the chance of running her own agency came along. At the time she had considered the longer hours, the hard work, all worthwhile, the money she made after paying her father back his loan helping Brian with his career. She hadn’t realised that he resented the fact that she spent less time with him, less time taking care of him, and that he would seek out someone else who could give him the attention he needed.

Coral Simpkins was a rich young widow who had bought one of Brian’s paintings from the gallery he submitted them to, her curiosity about the artist making her seek him out. It had been only the first of many meetings, Kate found out months later. Brian had suddenly changed, often being curt with her, and the time between their meetings becoming farther and farther apart. At first she hadn’t even noticed that, secure in their love for each other, deeply involved in the advertising agency that had become so much a part of her life. But the night she had finished early at the agency and gone round to surprise Brian had been the night she got her surprise!

She had the key to Brian’s flat and she let herself in as she usually did, carrying the bottle of wine she had bought to celebrate the success of another contract acquired for her agency. The only light on in the flat had been the one in the studio, but then that wasn’t unusual. Brian often worked in there for days at a time without a break. But he hadn’t been working that night, and neither had the blonde woman in his arms!

It had been a humiliating as well as a painful experience for Kate, especially as Coral Simpkins felt no awkwardness about the situation. The older woman simply got up from the camp-bed Brian kept in there, pulling on his robe to light a cigarette, looking at Kate insultingly through the smoke.

One thing Coral Simpkins didn’t lack was confidence—and she didn’t lack Brian at the end of the exchange either. Kate did!

Sorry, Brian said. It just happened, he said. We’re in love, he said. We’re going to be married, he said!

Something had died inside her that night, something precious that she felt sure she would never find again. And she didn’t want to find it, not if it meant being disillusioned and hurt by a man she had known and loved for five years. A sensible marriage, with no illusions, to a man who was too sophisticated himself to want a clinging wife, was what she planned for her future, a man who could give her the same power over her own life that he had over his. Richard fitted that role perfectly.

She moved restlessly to get ready for bed, impatient with herself for wasting all this time thinking about Brian when she should have been sleeping. And she had been wasting her time, as she had for her five years with him, knew now that he was only interested in what a woman could do for him. And Coral Simpkins—Linton, now—had already done more for him in the two months they had been married than Kate ever could, Brian’s first exhibition being held at a prominent gallery in London. Needless to say, Kate hadn’t attended.

A knock sounded on her bedroom door, and she turned sharply, her robe held up in front of her defensively.

Jared came into the room. ‘I heard you moving about, so I knew you weren’t asleep. I’m just about to make some cocoa, would you like some?’

She stared at him in astonishment. ‘It’s three-thirty in the morning!’

‘I know,’ he nodded, not looking in the least tired himself. ‘I thought you’d be asleep by now.’

‘I—–’ she shrugged dismissively, evading his searching gaze. ‘I’m just about to go to bed now. But help yourself to the cocoa.’

‘Thanks,’ he accepted lightly, turning to go. ‘By the way,’ his eyes gleamed with mischief, ‘your reflection in the mirror behind you makes the robe superfluous.’

Kate spun round to see herself perfectly reflected in the mirror on her dressing-table, knowing her naked back must have been clearly exposed to Jared as he spoke to her. She turned back to him indignantly, only to find him gone, and sat down heavily on the bed, wondering what had possessed her to let him stay. And yet she had the feeling she hadn’t made that decision, that he had made the choice himself. Jared Rourke might be everything that she considered irresponsible, but he seemed to somehow bring things round to his advantage. Well, he would be gone tomorrow, and with luck she would never have to see him again.

The ribbon that had secured her hair while she slept had come loose some time during the night, the long red tresses tangled about her face as she pushed them away impatiently, desperately trying to remember what was causing the feeling of oppression that had been with her as soon as her alarm woke her.

Jared! Of course. Would he have left as they had agreed he should? There was only one way to find out.

She got out of bed, pulling on her robe over her nightgown, quickly brushing the tangles from her hair before going out into the lounge. Jared lay asleep on the sofa, the radio still playing softly where he had fallen asleep with it on. Kate moved to switch it off, watching Jared to see if there were any sign of movement, but there was none. He was still fully dressed, only his short leather jacket removed to reveal the blue sweat-shirt, the long length of his legs stretched over the end of the sofa, too long to fit on it comfortably. He was going to ache all over when he woke up!

When he woke up! That was the problem; he was still here, and he should have been on his way by now. Ben would only have to casually mention to Richard that her ‘brother’ was staying with her and that would be that. Richard might like to think of himself as sophisticated, but Kate doubted if he would accept another man—a man he would know wasn’t her brother!—spending the night with her when they had just become engaged.

‘Jared!’ She deliberately knocked his legs from the arm of the sofa, feeling a moment of regret but knowing the soft approach wouldn’t work with this man. Hadn’t he somehow persuaded her to let him stay in the first place against her better judgment!

‘What—Huh? What’s happening …?’ He came awake with a start, blinking up at her with bloodshot eyes, that and the dark overnight growth of beard on his chin giving him an unkempt look. ‘Kate …?’ He blinked his recognition of her, sitting up. to run his long fingers through his hair, its dark thickness falling back into its casually windswept style. ‘I’d only just fallen asleep,’ he looked up to complain.

‘Well, now you can go and sleep somewhere else,’ she told him without sympathy. ‘I’ll be leaving for work in a few minutes and I don’t intend that you should still be here when I go.’

‘Afraid I might make off with your jewellery?’ he mocked.

‘Most of what I own isn’t worth much,’ she assured him. ‘The only piece worth having I’m keeping right here,’ she held up her left hand.

‘You are?’ he taunted.

‘Yes,’ she bit out. ‘Now get your things together and leave. It’s first thing in the morning, and you made me a promise to be gone then.’

He sat back, looking perfectly relaxed, the sweat-shirt pulled tautly across his chest. ‘My morning won’t begin until about midnight.’

‘The deal was my morning—–’

‘I don’t think that was specified—–’

‘My morning, Jared,’ she repeated firmly. ‘Now I’m going to take a shower and get ready for work. That gives you about twenty minutes.’ She went into the bathroom and closed the door, turning the key in the lock for good measure; she didn’t trust Jared an inch.

When she came out of the bathroom she could smell coffee being percolated, the fresh aroma filling the flat. Oh well, she had given him twenty minutes, it was up to him how he filled that time. As long as he was gone at the end of it she didn’t mind.

Her silky underwear lay in matching sets in her top drawer, the soft lacy bras and panties that she liked to feel against her skin.

‘Wear the black,’ remarked a husky voice behind her. ‘I always liked you in black.’

She spun round, clutching her robe together over her nakedness. ‘Always, Jared?’ she mocked to hide her confusion. ‘Two days isn’t exactly a lifetime.’

He had been leaning against the door-frame, now he moved away from it to walk slowly towards her, his gaze mesmerising. ‘It depends who you spend those two days with.’

Kate took a step backwards at the determined glint in his eyes. ‘Will you stop this, Jared?’ She made her tone sound light. ‘We both know we mean nothing to each other.’

‘We don’t?’ He was stalking her now, like a cat stalks its prey.

‘No—–’

‘You mean something to me, Katharine Mary,’ he told her softly, very close now, recently washed and shaved, his hair brushed back damply, his shoes and socks back in place.

She moistened her lips. ‘I—I do?’

‘Yes.’ He took her into his arms, moulding her to him to gently claim her lips with his, kissing her with drugging hunger. ‘I want you, my darling,’ he muttered raggedly against her throat. ‘I want you all the time. I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind for the last three months. How could I settle to a job in North America when you were all I could think about?’ His mouth claimed hers once again, deepening the caress with probing warmth.

‘No!’ Kate wrenched away from him, fastening the belt of her robe with shaking hands. ‘I’m going to marry Richard!’

Jared thrust his hands into his denims pockets, his shoulders hunched over. ‘I don’t happen to agree with you,’ he challenged.

She frowned, swallowing hard as he continued to meet her gaze. The steel was back in his face, and once again she had the fleeting impression that he would make a formidable adversary, although the feeling was only fleeting, instantly dispelled as he grinned once again.

‘You see,’ he said slowly but clearly, ‘I intend marrying you myself.’