Out of Control

Nicky had looked astounded, incredulous, visibly unsure whether or not this was a bluff, torn between bowing to her ultimatum or telling her to go then, see if he cared!

In the end he had held up his hands, ostentatiously, stepping back. 'OK, sweetheart! If it bothers you!*

'It annoys me!' Liza had snapped. T pick my own men, thanks!'

Nicky had resented her ever since, but he was good at hiding his feelings behind a beaming smile, and his i mate sense of professional common sense had made .ure that not only did he go on using Liza as a model but, when she started her agency, Nicky immediately became me of their clients. Liza was aware that he could have 11 icd to freeze her out; influencing potential customers into going elsewhere, spreading malicious gossip, run­ning down her models. There were a hundred and one ways of wrecking a business as vulnerable as a model agency, but Nicky hadn't taken any of them and Liza had learnt to respect his professional standards.

She didn't like him any better, and she didn't kid herself that he had changed. Given a chance, he would make a pass, but she never gave him any encouragement.

Now, he told her about the offer he was bringing the agency, stressing the fact that she was only getting it through him.

'Interested?'

'Very,' she said, because the job was a long-term one, not a one-off session for a magazine or fashion house, but an advertising campaign for a new range of cosmetics.

'They're not using TV at first, that may come later, but it's

an expensive medium. For the moment, it will be newspaper and magazines, plus small posters for hoardings.' Nicky outlined the campaign plan, his chin on his knees, and Liza got up and wandered around the office, listening intently. He hadn't yet mentioned money, but she sensed it was going to be a high-paying project and she was excited. She forgot to keep out of N icky's reach and suddenly found his arm snaking out to capture her.

'Let go,' she said wearily, throwing back her head and looking at him with cool distaste. 'Don't you ever give up?'

'Not me, babe,' he said, bending his head to kiss her,

and Liza put her hand on his shoulder to thrust him

away.

The door opened behind them and Nicky raised his head again, staring. 'I didn't hear a knock,' he snapped.

Liza freed herself to look round and was stunned to see Bruno in the doorway, rather flushed and frowning.

'I've been trying to ring you!' she said in a husky voice as he began backing out, mumbling something incoher­ent. 'No, don't go, Bruno, I have to talk to you.' She glanced at Nicky. 'Could we go on with our discussion some other time?'

He was furious, but he turned a wolfish grin on her. 'With discussions like that, any time, darling,' he murmured deliberately as he sprang down from the desk, catlike and graceful, dancing out of the office. As he passed Bruno Liza felt the back of her neck turn cold. Bruno wanted to hit him, she saw his fists curl angrily and so did Nicky, but it didn't alarm him, he just leered at Bruno and vanished. He knew that she had been seeing Bruno, he must have read the gossip columns-was that why he had just made another pass? Had he been trying his luck again because he hoped she might be more ready to respond?

'Who's that?' Bruno asked, coming over to face her as the door shut behind Nicky. 'Arrogant bastard, why was he sneering at me like that?'

'He's Nicky Wallis,' Liza said absently, already forgetting Nicky as she looked at Bruno and wondered if he was angry with her because he was being sent off to the States to part them.

'Who?' Bruno certainly looked grim enough; his lower lip was pouting as if he was about to cry.

'He's a famous photographer.'

'Oh, one of those!' Bruno glowered at her. 'He was kissing you—are you dating him?'

'No, I've spent the past seven years trying to keep his tentacles off me,' Liza said drily. 'He never stops trying, that's all.' She smiled at Bruno coaxingly. 'Are you OK? You look fraught.'

'I'm not sure whether I'm on my head or my heels,' he said. 'G. K. said he'd tell you himself. Did he? You know he's sending me to New York?' She nodded, watching him. 'How do you feel about it?' 'It's damned good promotion,' Bruno said, but he sounded uncertain, which in her experience of him meant that he was nervous and far from happy. T hope I can handle it. He's putting me on probation—a three month's trial, and if I can't cope he'll move me elsewhere.' 'You'll cope,' Liza said firmly. 'Think so?' Bruno looked eagerly, hopefully at her. He needed a constant injection of reassurance, and she couldn't help worrying about how he would manage in America, away from his friends and family. Bruno was a soft-centred creature, he had no shell to protect him, unlike a guy like Nicky Wallis, who was as tough as leather and thick-skinned into the bargain. 'I'm sure of it,' she stressed. Bruno sighed. 'I'm going to miss you,' he murmured naively and she laughed.

'I mean it,' he insisted, then his face changed and he watched her with curiosity. 'Did my uncle ring you or i me here in person? I was taken aback when he said he would deal with you himself. He wasn't objectionable, was he?' He had turned red. 'I mean, he didn't insult you ? My mother seems to think that you ... that we ... well, she's been nagging G. K. and he always tries to keep her happy. He told me not to see you again, but of course

I'm not letting him dictate to me! I had to come and say goodbye and explain.' He looked down, his eyes shifty, the back of his neck brick-red. T wouldn't want you to think . . . that is, the way G. K. was talking, I started to wonder if you thought the same as him! If you were expecting me to ask you to...' He broke off, gulping like an agitated bullfrog. 'But I didn't think . .. that is, it wasn't that serious, was it? I mean ...'

T know what you mean,' Liza said solemnly. 'And it wasn't serious, Bruno; it was fun and I loved every minute of it, but that was all it was—just fun.'

He gave a heavy sigh of relief, grinning at her. 'Well, that's what I thought, but G. K. had me almost convinced—it's like being hypnotised by a snake that means to eat you. My blood ran cold, but I couldn't get the words out.'

'About last night?' Liza wondered if he had been with someone else last night, especially when she saw the guilty uneasiness in his flushed face.