‘No one’s asking him to. Just leave Forbes to me.’
‘But I—’
‘Forget about him, Stacy,’ he ordered abruptly. ‘Just concentrate on playing Kate.’
‘You know my name, but I don’t know yours,’ she said almost shyly.
‘It’s Jake.’
She frowned. ‘Don’t you find that rather confusing?’
‘Not at all. Does my name bother you, because if it does you could always change it. What would you like my name to be?’
Stacy gave a nervous laugh. ‘Stop teasing me!’
‘So who’s teasing? What’s in a name anyway? My mother named me and you were given yours by some stranger at the orphanage, but who’s to say either of us have the right name for us? You can have whatever name you choose. Do you like the name Stacy?’
‘Yes, yes, I do.’
‘So do I,’ he nodded agreement. ‘But I’m not that worried whether I’m called Jake or Harry, or any other name for that matter. You choose.’
She laughed shakily. ‘You’re mad! There’s nothing wrong with your name, I was just surprised that it was the same as your employer.’
He shrugged. ‘That’s something that can’t be helped. I’m sure there must be thousands of Jakes in the world, I was bound to meet a few of them.’
‘Okay, okay,’ she laughed, feeling as if they were going round and round in circles. ‘I give in—Jake.’
The intimacy of his gaze deepened. ‘I wish all my women conceded defeat that easily,’ he said softly, almost caressingly.
‘I’m not conceding defeat, and I’m certainly not one of your women!’ she snapped.
‘How old are you, Stacy?’
‘What does that have to do with anything?’
‘Just answer the question.’
‘I’m nineteen,’ she told him resentfully.
‘And I’m exactly twice that,’ he mused. ‘And yet I want you to know that I find you very attractive, very desirable.’
‘You—’ she gulped. ‘You do?’
‘I do,’ he confirmed. ‘Has anyone told you that you look beautiful tonight?’
She was becoming increasingly embarrassed, finding his sudden compliments a little too sudden. ‘It has been mentioned,’ she was deliberately blasé about it.
‘By Matthew Day?’ he probed harshly.
‘How did you—’
‘I’m paid to know things,’ he interrupted. ‘Have you been dating him long?’
‘Didn’t your informant tell you that?’ she enquired sweetly.
‘I didn’t ask them, I’m asking you.’
‘I’ve known Matthew for three years.’