Brand of Possession

‘Now you know why I prefer to keep out of the limelight, prefer to keep my identity secret,’ he remarked derisively.

Stacy looked over at Paul Forbes as he lapped up the attention he was receiving. Most of the people weren’t hotel guests and she supposed the local people had been quite excited at having a film crew and its stars staying in the district.

‘Those people are only showing their appreciation of his talent,’ she defended.

‘That sort of appreciation I can do without,’ he told her dryly, signalling a waiter to bring them drinks. ‘I like praise as much as the next

man, I’m not immune to flattery, but I prefer my privacy to any amount of praise.’

‘So that you can play tricks on people as you did me last night?’ she accused bitterly.

He sighed. ‘I wasn’t playing a trick on you. I’ve already explained why I did it.’

‘Oh yes, I know that. But do you realise that by going back to the party you gave everyone the impression you’d just left me?’

He frowned. ‘But I had.’

‘I don’t mean just left me,’ she said impatiently. ‘I mean—’ She hesitated about actually putting it into words.

Jake gave a slow smile. ‘I think I know what you mean. And who thought that?’

‘Everyone!’

‘Nice friends you have.’

She blushed. ‘That’s what I told them. Why did you go back to the party? I assumed you to have gone to your suite.’

‘Believe me, I would rather have done that. But the party was supposed to be for me, I could hardly just disappear.’

‘I suppose not,’ she admitted grudgingly. ‘I just wish I didn’t come out of it with such a blackened reputation.’

‘Your friends really thought that you and I had been—’

‘There’s no need to look so amused,’ she cut in waspishly. ‘I don’t find it in the least funny.’

‘I don’t imagine you do.’ Jake handed her the Martini and lemonade he had ordered for her.

‘Then stop smiling!’ she snapped.

‘I was just thinking that as people already seem convinced you’ve slept with me you really couldn’t be thought any the worse of if you actually did.’

She gasped. ‘You’re impossible!’

‘Surely you can see my point?’

‘And surely you can see mine!’ She slammed her glass down on the table. ‘I don’t want to sleep with you.’

‘You’re magnificent when you’re angry, really beautiful,’ he murmured.

‘And you’re impossible at all times!’ But she felt herself weakening towards him. God, he was a charmer! And if only he would stop looking at her with those mesmerising eyes she might be able to get up and walk away from him. At the moment she felt too weak to do so.

He smiled at her, his teeth very white against his tanned skin. ‘Can I take you out of here before Forbes breaks away from his adoring public?’ he asked throatily.

Stacy quivered at the seduction in his voice, clutching her glass to her with both hands. ‘I happen to be here with him.’

He gave the other man a scathing look. ‘He appears to have forgotten you.’

She flushed. ‘He’ll remember me in a moment.’ She hoped! How humiliating if Paul just left her here with Jake.