‘No,’ his hand covered hers under cover of the table, ‘I like my women one at a time.’
Her green eyes flashed a warning of her anger and she pulled her hand away from him. ‘Then you should make sure you do only have the one,’ she said in a fierce whisper.
His own eyes narrowed. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘If you don’t know I’m not going to tell you.’ She turned away, sipping her wine.
‘Stacy, will you—’ Jake broke off as Paul Forbes turned to look at them.
Paul put his arm about her shoulders, bending his head close to her. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked softly. ‘Not bored or anything?’
She gave him a glowing smile, mainly for Jake’s benefit. ‘Now how could I possibly be bored with Mr Weston to entertain me?’ she said sweetly.
Paul gave the other man a sharp look. ‘And is he—entertaining you, I mean?’
‘Oh yes. I only hope I’m not boring him.’
Jake looked grim. ‘I’m sure Paul agrees with me when I say you’re much too lovely ever to bore any man.’
Paul’s arm tightened about her shoulders. ‘Much too lovely,’ he agreed throatily, his eyes for her alone.
‘About this scene, Paul,’ Martin Payne interrupted them. ‘I really do think we should sort it out before we get on the set tomorrow.’
Once again the actor’s attention was taken by the director and Stacy was left to converse with Jake Weston. She couldn’t help comparing the two men, and although Paul Forbes might be the film star it was Jake who made the most lasting impression on the senses.
Both were dressed in black dinner suits and snowy white shirts, but there the comparison ended. Jake emitted a sensual magnetism and challenge to every woman in the room, his dark good looks much more preferable to Stacy than the blond insipidity of the other man. Jake also carried himself with a natural elegance that the other man could never hope to achieve.
Stacy brought her thoughts up with a start, not wanting to find Jake attractive. Paul Forbes might not exactly be any safer to be with, but at least he was single.
‘Why are you here with him?’ Jake demanded harshly.
She knew the other man’s casual attempts to touch her had angered him, and she couldn’t say she had liked his arm about her any more herself. ‘He asked me.’
‘I asked you too, but you turned me down.’
‘For obvious reasons,’ she said softly.
‘They aren’t obvious to me, damn you!’ he rasped.
‘Then perhaps they ought to be. Your dinner is getting cold, Mr Weston.’ She pretended enjoyment in her own meal, although every mouthful was like sawdust to her taste-buds. If she had known they would be dining with Jake she would never have agreed, although she thought Jake’s presence had come as a bit of a shock to Paul Forbes too.
Jake left his food untouched. ‘I’m not hungry,’ he snapped. ‘And please don’t give me a lecture on the starving millions, that I don’t need.’
‘I wouldn’t presume to lecture you on anything, Mr Weston.’
‘Jake, Stacy. Call me Jake!’ he muttered angrily.
‘I wouldn’t presume to do that either.’
‘Don’t try and freeze me off, Stacy. I haven’t given up with you yet,’ he warned darkly.
‘Then if I were you I would do so.’ She patted delicately at her mouth with her napkin, leaving most of her food untouched too. ‘I don’t like you very much.’
He sat forward, a slight smile curving his lips. ‘When I kissed you this afternoon you gave a very different impression.’
‘You mean when you forced me to respond.’
‘I didn’t have to force you for long. If Brad hadn’t come along …’