‘Yes, he does,’ Mary Simmonds agreed, smiling at Storm. ‘I’ll look forward to seeing you next week, then.’
It was no good letting pity for the boy Jago had been overwhelm her, Storm decided on the way back to the studios. He wasn’t that boy any longer. He was a man, hardened by his experiences, and any attempt on her part to breach his cynical exterior would only result in more pain—for her.
CHAPTER TEN
IT was obvious that no matter what her feelings might be, Ian was enjoying himself, Storm admitted as she looked at her brother’s animated face.
To her dismay Greg Harmer had booked them a table at the Country Club, and Storm had found it virtually impossible to touch her food, remembering the lunch she had had here with Jago and its aftermath.
Julia Harmer had turned out to be a vivacious redhead, with a warm smile and sparkling blue eyes, and Storm suspected that under his quizzical teasing Ian was completely bowled over. He was certainly being far more attentive than mere politeness demanded, and Storm suspected that he was already regretting their foursome. A simple twosome would be much more to his taste, judging by the looks he was giving Julia.
‘Something worrying you?’ Greg asked when she had neglected to answer him for the third time. ‘You seem a bit preoccupied.’
‘It’s nothing,’ Storm assured him. ‘I’m sorry, I’m spoiling your evening.’
‘Forget it,’ he told her gallantly. ‘Shall we dance?’
Julia and Ian were already on the floor, unashamedly making the most of the slow seductive music. Storm was glad when Greg made no attempt to hold her intimately, and her breath came in a shocked gasp as she felt someone looking at her and turned her head to see Jago and Madeleine Rivers sitting at a table next to the dance floor.
‘Do you mind if we sit down?’ she asked Greg in a shaky voice. She doubted if her legs would continue to hold her much longer, they felt so weak and trembly.
’Sure. Do you want me to get your brother?’ Greg asked solicitously, obviously concerned by her pale face and compressed lips.
Ian was still dancing with Julia, her head curved against his shoulder, and Storm had no wish to spoil his evening.
‘It’s nothing,’ she told Greg. ‘But it’s been a long day. Would you mind if I went home? I can get a taxi…’
‘You’ll do no such thing,’ Greg told her firmly. ‘And besides, something tells me that neither Julia nor Ian will really mind us deserting them. I’ll leave them a note and then we can go.’
Storm went to get her coat, grateful for his unquestioning understanding. On her way to the cloakroom, she scrupulously avoided looking in the direction of Jago’s table, the breath almost knocked out of her body when hard hands suddenly grasped her waist, almost pulling her off balance.
‘Jago!’ She stared up at him, her face white and her eyes strained.
‘Jago!’ he mimicked savagely. ‘What are you playing at? Turn and turn about—is that the way it goes?’ The ugliness of his voice made her feel acutely sick. ‘I suppose you’ve got to find some means of enlivening the long winter nights, but I never suspected you went in for orgies. Can anyone join in, or do you have to pass some sort of endurance test first?’
Madeleine emerged from the cloakroom, her eyes glittering coldly over Storm as Jago released her.
‘Honestly, darling I don’t know why you brought me here,’ she complained, linking her arm through Jago’s. ‘You know I would much rather be alone with you.’ The blatant invitation made Storm feel ill. She stumbled past them, not caring what Jago might read in her eyes, if he was ever able to remove them from his companion.
When she and Greg got outside it was raining. There was no sign of the Ferrari in the car-park, and Storm tried not to picture Jago’s lean body embracing Madeleine.
Much to her relief Greg made no attempt to kiss her goodnight. She didn’t think she could have borne even the lightest embrace. Much to her surprise, when she went to bed she fell asleep almost straight away, waking momentarily when a car door slamming told her that Ian had returned.
‘You okay?’ he called softly outside her door, coming in when she murmured a reply.
‘Did you get a taxi?’ she asked him sleepily, but he shook his head.
‘Nope, we managed to get a lift. Your friend Jago Marsh.’ Storm’s heart missed a beat, but before she could question him further, Ian had gone. So Jago had not left with Madeleine as she had thought, but what did it matter when he left, she asked herself sleepily, the result would be the same. Madeleine had made it pretty clear how she expected to finish the evening.
* * *
Storm woke up early, struggling through layers of sleep to the realisation that she could not continue in this fashion. Her acute awareness of Jago was making it impossible for her to function properly, and would soon begin to affect her performance at work. She would have to persuade him to release her from her contract—which shouldn’t be too difficult, she admitted numbly. By now he must be as anxious to get rid of her as she was to leave.
It was a cold raw morning, with the sky threatening rain or even snow, and Storm shivered as she ate her breakfast. She took Ian a cup of tea, which he drank sleepily, before telling her that he had promised to take Julia out for lunch.
‘You can come with us, if you like,’ he offered, but Storm shook her head.
’And play gooseberry?’ she teased, laughing at the colour mounting in his face.