He looked into her wide violet eyes with their deep, dark centres.
'No, but you did say it. Now you will tell me why.' Again that will. As if the only will operating around here was his.
'Look, I've said I'm sorry-'
'That's not enough.'
She was intimidated, but she wasn’t stupid. 'Well, it will just have to do!'
'I don’t like mysteries,' he said bluntly, not taking his eyes off her flushed face.
'That makes two of us!' Elizabeth blurted out in exasperation. 'Look, I think it's best if I wait for the hotel launch to come back-'
'You're a very stubborn woman.'
It was an accusation that she was perfectly comfortable with as far as he was concerned. 'Yes.'
'Independent and stubborn.'
She angled her chin a little higher. 'Yes.'
'You have a problem dealing with men?'
She flushed at the unexpected flanking attack.
'No, I have no problem whatsoever in dealing with men!' she denied hotly.
He nodded thoughtfully. 'Ah...so it is only me?'
'I—' She was almost grateful for the sharp interruption when it came, until she realised its source.
'Jack, aren’t you carrying chivalry too far? The woman obviously doesn’t want a lift. She seems quite capable of making her own decisions!'
Elizabeth's attention, which had been solely focused on the male threat looming over her, now skittered to the companion that she hadn’t even noticed. Tall. Slim. Blonde and beautiful in a very glossy, sophisticated kind of way.
Serena Corvell.
Elizabeth's defensive indignation drained away, along with her hectic colour.
J.J. Hawkwood and Serena Corvell. Together. And 'Jack'? She supposed it was his nickname.
The camera over her shoulder suddenly felt like a ten-ton boulder, signalling her guilty intent.
'No, of course not.' Hawkwood was casually soothing. 'Well, Miss Lamb—at least let me take your suitcase over to the hotel; that way you won’t have to carry it everywhere while you do your "shopping".'
'Uh—perhaps I will come with you after all...' Elizabeth found her voice hurriedly.
'Oh, for goodness' sake-' Serena Corvell was staring at her with an expression of the utmost disdain for her vacillation.
'If...if the offer is still open, of course,' Elizabeth said stiffly.
For some reason J.J. Hawkwood decided to be perverse as he studied her pale face. 'I wouldn’t like you to feel pressured into doing something you didn’t want to...'
The irony was almost laughable. This whole trip fell into that category!
'No, really, I want to come,' she said quickly, unaware of the thread of panic in her voice which contradicted the false smile on her lips.
'When I said that the shops were closed, I didn’t mean the cafes and restaurants. If you like I could recommend somewhere-'