Suddenly he had moved away and was standing on the other side of the lift, extracting a long thin cheroot from a gold case before lighting it. ‘I wouldn’t insult you by asking you to go to bed right now,’ he said. ‘All the best things in life are worth waiting for—and you’re one of them. It will happen in your time, not mine. Will you go swimming with me in the morning?’
She should be perfectly safe with him in the hotel swimming pool, and she would like to see him again. ‘What time?’ she asked.
‘Ten o’clock?’
She could be making a mi
stake, and yet she wanted to see him. ‘Fine. I’ll meet you in the reception area.’
Jake held the doors open so that the lift couldn’t move. ‘Off you go to your room—I won’t come any further and frighten you any more. Ten o’clock downstairs,’ he reminded her as she hurried to her room.
As she let herself in with her key Stacy had a last impression of him leaning against one of the lift doors, watching her progress with dark brooding eyes.
She heaved a sigh of relief as she leant back against the door. These sort of things didn’t happen in real life, being pursued by tall, dark, handsome men with a stated intent on her virtue. But it was happening to her.
She was in bed pretending to be asleep when Juliet came up to bed. She had no wish to answer questions about Jake, especially questions she had no answer to. It was for this reason that she also pretended to be asleep the next morning as Juliet got ready to go down to breakfast. Once her friend had left Stacy got up and ordered herself some coffee. She didn’t intend seeing anyone who could ask embarrassing questions.
Jake was already waiting for her when she arrived downstairs at ten past ten, looking at her impatiently as she moved to the desk to leave a message for Matthew telling him she wouldn’t be needing transport into London after all.
‘Good morning,’ Jake greeted softly. He was dressed in cream slacks and a matching short-sleeved shirt opened almost to his waist in the heat of the day. He looked very attractive, his skin appearing very dark against his cream clothing.
Stacy eyes alighted on the picnic basket at his side. ‘What’s in the basket?’ she asked lightly.
‘Our lunch.’
‘Lunch?’ she frowned. ‘Surely we won’t need that by the pool.’
‘We aren’t going to the pool.’
She looked up at him. ‘We—we aren’t?’
He shook his head. ‘I’ve borrowed Payne’s motor launch. We’re going for a ride along the coast to find a secluded beach where I can seduce you in private.’
CHAPTER THREE
SO much for her being safe by the pool! ‘You didn’t tell me that last night,’ she said resentfully. ‘I automatically took it you meant the pool.’
‘Does it matter?’ Jake looked bored.
‘Of course it matters,’ she said sharply.
‘Why? Don’t answer that, I think I can guess,’ his voice taunted. ‘You didn’t expect to be alone with me today. Well, I’m not going to the pool so that all your friends can stare at us. I’m going out in the boat anyway, you please yourself if you come with me.’ He picked up the picnic basket. ‘But if you’re too scared …’ he shrugged, walking away.
Stacy caught up with him as he got in the low two-seater sports car parked outside, throwing the basket in the space at the back of the car. She got in beside him, her rolled-up towel on her knee. ‘I’m not frightened of you,’ she glared at him furiously.
The car shot away with a roar, its driver turning to grin at her. ‘I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist a challenge like that.’
‘Why, you—!’
‘Fair’s fair, Stacy. Last night you did agree to come with me.’
‘Yes, but— Oh, never mind,’ she said impatiently. ‘I bet you always win an argument.’
‘I try to. I was a very spoilt little boy.’
‘I can imagine,’ she retorted dryly.
‘And I can imagine you as a very charming little girl.’