‘You make it very hard for a girl to refuse you,’ she admitted.
His head bent slightly, his face only inches away from her own. ‘That’s because I don’t intend to have you refuse me. I’m patient, I can wait for the right moment.’
‘And if there isn’t one?’ she murmured.
‘Then I’ll make one.’
His dark head lowered slowly and his lips took possession of hers in a kiss of languorous passion, a deliberate onslaught to break down any barriers she might have against him. He needn’t have worried, his charm had seduced her into submission long ago.
But this was wrong! She had known this man only a matter of hours. And yet she couldn’t hold back her response, couldn’t deny the effect he was having on her, his mouth making slow leisurely love to her, his hands gently caressing her back.
Finally she pulled away from him, her head dizzy with the emotions he had aroused in her, emotions that had lain dormant until his mouth had touched hers. This couldn’t be happening to her, it must be his experience that was making her melt against him like this; people didn’t fall in love so easily.
She licked her lips, tasting the whisky Jake had been drinking earlier, her whole body shaking. ‘I—’ she cursed herself for letting her voice shake like this. ‘I want to go back inside,’ she said more strongly.
‘Why?’ he asked huskily, not releasing his hold on her.
‘I think you know why.’
‘Because I kissed you?’
And because of her reaction to that kiss! ‘Well, I—Yes! I hardly know you,’ she added, as if that explained everything.
‘Mm, perhaps you’re right.’ Jake moved away from her. ‘My mother always told me you should never kiss a girl on your first date.’ He smiled. ‘I never did listen to my mother.’
Stacy smoothed down her skirt. ‘Then perhaps you should have done.’
‘Perhaps,’ but he didn’t sound as if he should. ‘I’ll take you back to the party now.’
‘I think I would rather go to my room.’
‘So would I,’ he agreed throatily.
‘Alone,’ she said sharply.
‘But of course. I promise to leave you at your door.’
‘I can find my own way,’ she refused.
He took hold of her elbow. ‘I’m sure you can, but I’ve always believed in seeing a lady to her home—and as this place is temporarily your home …’
‘Oh, all right,’ she accepted with ill-grace.
Jake grinned down at her as they walked back to the entrance. ‘I wish I could have seen your argument with Payne. I bet it was something to watch!’
Stacy gave a wan smile. ‘He didn’t seem to think so.’
‘So he told me. I believe you implied he was past it.’
She blushed painfully as she remembered the rude things she had said to the director.
‘Something about us being past the age of the studio couch,’ he added teasingly.
‘Oh—oh yes,’ she blushed even more. ‘I—I lost my temper.’
Jake laughed softly. ‘So I gathered.’ He picked up a strand of her glorious red hair. ‘So this hair really does denote the fiery nature reputed to go with it.’
‘In my case, yes,’ she admitted almost guiltily.