ever, a bluish sheen to the over-long styled hair, wrenching her gaze away as he became conscious of her scrutiny.
‘I don’t take a girl out to lunch and give her a sandwich,’ he said disgustedly. ‘We’ll go inside when our meal is ready.’
‘You’ve hardly brought me out to lunch through choice,’ Lauri derided. ‘We’re here to discuss the damage I did to your car.’
‘Has your—friend,’ again that hesitation, ‘has Prescott had his car looked at yet?’
‘He took it round to a friend of his last night. He did the repairs on the brakes.’
‘The brakes?’ Alexander Blair frowned.
‘Mm,’ she nodded, sipping her drink. ‘You see, Steve had the car serviced last week. He told them the brakes weren’t responding properly, but they couldn’t find anything wrong with them. Steve’s mate Geoff found the problem and put it right.’
Alexander Blair was still frowning. ‘Is that why you—’
‘Hit you?’ she finished. ‘Yes. Nothing happened when I tried to stop.’
‘Is that the truth?’
Colour flooded her cheeks. ‘I have no reason to lie,’ she said stiltedly.
‘Maybe you think I’ll let you off the hook if you can convince me it was through a fault in the car that the accident happened.’
Her glass landed on the table with a crash, surprisingly still intact. ‘You arrogant—’
‘Now, now, Lauren,’ he laughed, putting up his hands defensively, ‘don’t get violent!’
‘I have no intention of getting violent,’ she told him through tight lips.
‘I never know what you’re going to do when you get that angry sparkle in those huge green eyes of yours. They’re very expressive, Lauren. At the moment they’re hating me, am I right?’
‘Yes,’ she admitted tautly. ‘I resent your implication that I would lie to get myself out of taking responsibility for your car. I’m perfectly willing to pay for the damage if you’ll settle this privately.’
‘Prescott shouldn’t have let you drive without L-plates,’ he told her haughtily. ‘He was in charge of you and the vehicle, so it’s his responsibility. Anyway, why should you care? After all, he’s only a friend.’
‘If that’s all the concern you show for your own friends then I’m surprised you still have any,’ she snapped.
‘Was he your lover before he became a friend?’
Lauri gasped. ‘Certainly not!’ she retorted indignantly.
‘Why wasn’t he?’
‘Mr Blair, you have no right—’
‘Alex,’ he put in softly.
She frowned. ‘Alex?’
‘Call me Alex,’ he invited.
‘I will not!’ she refused angrily. ‘Steve was never my lover,’ she insisted.
‘I know,’ Alexander Blair told her calmly.
Her eyes widened. ‘You know? Then why did you—How do you know?’ she asked suspiciously.
The barmaid came out at that moment to tell them their meal was ready inside, so Lauri didn’t immediately get an answer to her question. She had to wait until they had been seated at a table inside and their appetising meal placed before them before she could repeat the question.