Burning Obsession

‘I believe you dated Ian a couple of times after you left me,’ Jordan surprised her by saying.

‘I would hardly call it dating.’ Not when she had spent the whole time talking about Jordan! Ian had always been a good listener, and she liked him, had readily agreed to meet him when he called her a few weeks after she had parted from Jordan. ‘I suppose Ian told you we’d met?’

‘Yes,’ he didn’t elaborate.

Kelly licked her lips nervously, shooting him a searching glance, although his bland expression revealed nothing of his inner thoughts. ‘What did he say?’ she asked with feigned casualness.

Jordan shrugged. ‘Just that you had met.’

‘Nothing else?’

‘No,’ came his abrupt reply.

Thank God for that! She had talked to Ian quite openly, although not even to him could she reveal the full extent of Jordan’s betrayal. Ian had perhaps known of it anyway—after all, he worked with both Jordan and Angela, might have realised what was going on between his boss and his secretary.

Janet Amery was in their suite when they got back to the hotel. There were papers strewn all over the desk in the lounge, and Janet seemed to be working very hard as she typed out a report, but Kelly still couldn’t help wondering if this show wasn’t being put on for her benefit.

‘Did the call from Burrows come in yet?’ Jordan demanded imperiously, striding over to the desk.

‘No, Jordan.’ Janet looked up from her typing, her eyes a deep clear blue, her complexion perfect, her smart silky suit the perfect outfit for the perfect secretary.

‘Damn him,’ Jordan muttered. ‘Doesn’t he realise I need those figures before I go ahead with this deal?’

‘I’m sure he does,’ Janet soothed.

‘Get him on the phone again,’ he ordered tersely. ‘Hell, Jimmy is only keeping my option open until ten tonight.’

‘Excuse me,’ Kelly said softly, knowing of old that air of excitement about Jordan. He thrived on work, continued with his wheeling and dealing even though he had enough money to last him ten lifetimes. ‘I’m going to my room.’

Jordan turned to look at her, as if for a few minutes he had forgotten her very existence. ‘You’ll join me for dinner?’

‘I don’t think so,’ she shook her head. ‘You appear to be rather busy.’

‘I still have to eat,’ he dismissed abruptly.

‘I wouldn’t want to intrude,’ a trace of bitterness entered her voice. ‘I’m sure you and Miss Amery don’t need me around. I’ll eat in my room.’

Jordan strode over to her, grasping her arm and pushing her roughly out into the corridor of their suite. ‘You’ll damn well eat with me,’ his eyes glittered angrily. ‘And you can cut the remarks about Janet and myself, I think her fiancé might have something to say about them.’

Kelly’s eyes widened. ‘She’s engaged?’

He nodded, his expression mocking. ‘To my personal assistant.’

‘Burrows?’

‘That right.’

‘Then it wasn’t very polite of you to talk about him that way to Miss Amery.’ A feeling of relief rushed through her, and she made every effort to hide it from Jordan. If he should ever realise that her jealousy over Janet Amery and Sister Fellows was real, very real, she would die of embarrassment.

‘I don’t approve of those sort of relationships in business,’ he said haughtily. ‘It isn’t conducive to work.’

‘And nothing must interfere with your work, must it?’ Kelly scorned, her head tilted back. ‘I’m surprised you bother any more, after all you’re rich enough already.’

‘Haven’t you heard, it’s a good substitute.’ His mouth twisted.

She frowned. ‘For what?’

‘This!’ With a groan his mouth claimed hers for the third time in two days, if anything his hunger increased, his open mouth devouring all her resistance.