Forbidden Surrender

His mouth twisted. ‘Of course.’ He turned away.

Once the guests began to arrive, exclaiming over how alike the two girls were—as if they wouldn’t be when they were identical twins!—she was able to push Dominic to the back of her subconscious, vaguely aware of his being in the room, even feeling his gaze on her on occasion, but making no effort to return it.

Eddie was enjoying himself immensely, his arm loosely about her waist in casual possession. ‘Is he rising to the bait yet?’ he bent to whisper in her ear.

Sara frowned up at him. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Not what, who. And it’s Dominic Thorne,’ he grinned. ‘He’s been glaring at me for the last ten minutes.’

An involuntary movement had her facing in Dominic’s direction, to find herself looking straight into his narrowed blue eyes. Yes, he was staring at them, not just looking, but staring straight at them, and making no effort to look as if he were doing anything else. Her answer was to stand on tiptoe and kiss Eddie firmly on the mouth. When she glanced back at Dominic he was no longer looking their way, although he was slightly pale under his tan, his mouth set in a rigid line.

‘I liked that,’ Eddie murmured. ‘But not the reason behind it.’ He gave her a reproachful look.

Sara blinked hard. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

His fingers pinched in at her waist. ‘Liar,’ he whispered close to her ear. ‘But I’ll forgive you this time. Just stop putting the poor man through the hoops.’

‘Eddie—’

‘I know,’ he interrupted her warning tone. ‘Mind my own business. The way he keeps looking at me it could become my business any moment now. He looks ready to hit me!’

Her eyes sparkled angrily. ‘He has no right!’

‘That isn’t what your pulse rate is telling me,’ Eddie taunted.

She glared up at him. ‘That’s just anger.’

He laughed softly. ‘Of course it is,’ he mocked. ‘Who on earth is that woman talking to Aunt Susan?’

Sara followed his line of vision, and her mouth quirked into a smile. ‘That’s Cynthia Robotham-James,’ she said with humour. ‘The woman who gave the party Pete took me to,’ she explained.

‘Pete’s still interested in photographing you, you know. He would love to work with you.’

‘Well, he’s going to be disappointed. I think we should go and save Aunt Susan,’ she grimaced. ‘Cynthia tends to be a bit overwhelming. On second thoughts,’ she saw Danny Thorne just arriving, ‘you go and rescue her, there’s someone over there I have to talk to.’

‘I see.’ Eddie saw her looking at Danny. ‘In that case I’ll go and console myself with Cynthia.’

Sara spluttered with laughter. ‘Good luck!’

‘I’ll need it, she could probably eat me for breakfast.’

‘And not even know it!’ she taunted.

‘Cheeky! Just because you don’t fancy me it doesn’t mean I’m unattractive to women.’ He straightened his cuff. ‘I’ll go over there and captivate her with my charm.’

The last Sara saw of him he wasn’t doing a bad job of it, Aunt Susan smiling with obvious relief as Eddie drew Cynthia’s attention away from her.

Danny was searching the crowds of people at the party, stopping when he saw her walking towards him.

‘It’s Sara,’ she told him before she could be an unwilling witness to any embarrassing declarations of love on his part.

‘I know,’ he nodded. ‘I have to talk to you.’

She didn’t question his knowing her identity. If he loved Marie he was probably able to tell she wasn’t her as well as Dominic had. ‘Perhaps my father’s study …?’ she suggested.

‘That will do.’ He seemed charged with a nervous energy, sparing not a glance for the other people at the party as he led the way out of the room.

Sara shut the study door after them, instantly shutting out the noise. ‘Now what did you want to talk to me about?’

‘Marie,’ Danny said heavily, his eyes dark with pain.

He was going to try and enlist her help in getting Marie for himself! She shook her head. ‘There’s nothing I can do.’