’And what do you want?’
‘Whatever he wants,’ Helen admitted.
Jenny gave her a sharp look. ‘What does that mean?’
‘It means—it means I just want what he wants. He makes me feel alive, Jen, and beautiful.’ Helen’s eyes glowed.
‘You love him,’ Jenny said dazedly.
‘Incredible, isn’t it? But even knowing that doesn’t change anything between us.’ Helen’s face was shadowed. ‘Last night, and this morning for that matter, he would have made love to me if I’d just said the word. But I couldn’t let him. It’s as if I have a sickness, and no matter how much I want to get better my mind just won’t let me.’
‘You have plenty of time.’
‘That’s what Leon says. But I don’t feel I’m being fair to him. What if I can never…I don’t think Leon will be able to be patient for long, no matter what he says.’
Jenny smiled. ‘You just have to relax and let things happen.’
‘I can’t relax with him, he isn’t the sort of man to make you feel that way. He sends out sexual vibrations, emits this aura…It’s very hard to resist.’
‘Then don’t,’ Jenny advised practically.
‘I have the feeling that if I ever did give in to him I’d never want to break away again.’
‘You don’t seem to be trying very hard to get away,’ her cousin said dryly.
Helen grinned. ‘I know. I like feeling alive. I didn’t think I would, but I do.’
‘I can see the difference in you.’
‘Not too much of a change, I hope.’
‘Only for the better. God, look at the time!’ Jenny groaned. ‘Brent will have my hide if I’m late. He has an important meeting this afternoon he wants me to sit in on. You’ll call me later in the week?’
‘For the next thrilling instalment?’ Helen teased.
Jenny laughed. ‘I hope so!’
Helen spent a lazy afternoon browsing around the shops, treating herself to a couple of new dresses, a violet one that matched the colour of her eyes, and a pale lemon creation that made her skin appear more fragile and pale than usual.
It was quite late when she got back to Leon’s apartment with her parcels, and she knew by the heavy cheroot smoke that he was already home.
She hadn’t even had time to put down her parcels before Leon stormed out of the lounge, and stormed was the appropriate word—he looked furious. ‘Where the hell have you been all day?’ he demanded.
Helen frowned. ‘Don’t you know it’s polite to say hello when someone comes in?’
He took her shoulders in ruthless hands and shook her hard. ‘Where have you been?’
‘Why?’
Her calm attitude only seemed to incense him more. ‘Why?’ he snapped. ‘Because I came home early, in time to have lunch with you, and you weren’t here. I called the travel agency and that poker-faced manager told me you’d been and gone. I called Jenny’s flat and there was no answer. I even telephoned the television studio and Brent told me Jenny was out at lunch. When I called again later they said Brent and his secretary were both out.’
‘They were going to some meeting or other,’ Helen confirmed dazedly, unable to fathom his mood. Okay, so she had been unattainable, but that was no reason for him to be in this temper.
‘So you have seen Jenny,’ he pounced.
‘I was the person she was lunching with.’
‘Where have you been since then?’