Brand of Possession

‘The outcome would have been the same,’ she snapped. ‘Just because you’ve had plenty of practice at seduction it doesn’t mean that every female is going to fall for it. If your friend hadn’t interrupted us I would have found some other way of getting away from you.’

‘Would you?’ His eyes never left her face.

Stacy forced herself to look away. ‘Yes, I would! Could we talk about something less personal? I find this conversation pointless to say the least.’

‘And I find you being here with Forbes most objectionable.’

She raised an eyebrow. ‘Would you like me to leave?’

‘Not you, him,’ he said forcefully.

‘Anyone would think you were jealous, Mr Weston.’

‘Anyone would be right!’

She flicked back her hair in a careless gesture far removed from her teeming emotions inside. ‘You have no right to be, no right to feel anything about anyone I should care to go out with.’

‘Not even if I care for you myself?’

She gave a short angry laugh. ‘Not that, please. I’m not that naïve that I’ll fall for an old line like that.’

‘And if it isn’t a line?’

She shook her head. ‘The situation doesn’t arise. Don’t get the mistaken idea that a day out entitles you to more than just a thank you at the end of the day. And I believe I’ve already said that.’

‘I can’t believe you’re seriously interested in Forbes,’ Jake said harshly.

‘I’m not seriously interested in anyone.’

‘I’d like to change that,’ he told her softly.

It took great effort on her part to break away from the mesmerising effect of his eyes. He had the most fascinating eyes, and they seemed to be becoming more and more so, reducing her to a weak and pliable woman who longed to be in his arms.

‘No!’ she said sharply. ‘No, Jake.’

‘Why not? We like each other, Stacy. I’d like you to get to know me better.’

‘I think I know all I want to know about you.’

He was prevented from saying anything else on the subject by the other two men joining the conversation, making it more general. Stacy said little, concentrating on her wine to the exclusion of everything else.

‘Does that meet with your approval, Stacy?’ Paul asked.

She looked at him dazedly. ‘Sorry?’

‘I asked if you would like to go through to the ballroom?’

‘Oh, oh yes,’ she agreed hurriedly. As the largest hotel in the area it also provided what little night life there was in the immediate vicinity, hence the ballroom. Live music was played in there most nights, music for all ages as the hotel was open to the public in the evenings. ‘That sounds like a good idea.’

He nodded to the other two men. ‘We can carry on this conversation in there.’

Stacy’s startled gaze clashed with Jake’s deep blue brooding one. She had thought they were finally to leave Martin Payne and Jake, but it seemed she was wrong.

She felt slightly self-conscious entering the ballroom as the only woman in the company of three men, two of them certainly the most handsome men in the room, and Martin Payne commanded a certain amount of respect in his own right.

As Paul Forbes became recognised people started to crowd around them, the majority of them women. That Paul revelled in it was obvious by the way the charming smile lit up his face and he instantly entered into conversation with several of the women. Martin Payne stayed at his side, probably wanting to keep a watchful eye on the star of his film.

And so it was that Stacy felt her elbow taken in a firm grasp and found herself led away from the crowd of people over to a secluded corner table. Jake sat beside her, his chair drawn up close to hers so that their legs almost touched.