Desert Moon

by Jennifer Taylor

  ‘I understand,’ he said smoothly.

  Natalie shot him a wary glance and felt her temper surge at the expression on his face. ‘I doubt that! The simple fact is that I haven’t told Marcus because I haven’t spoken to him since he went away.’

  ‘Is it usual for him to go off like this without leaving word of where he is?’

  The question made Natalie hesitate; it put into words the uneasy feeling she’d had since she’d found out that Marcus had gone off. ‘Well, no. It is odd but...’ She paused.

  ‘But?’ Flynn prodded.

  ‘I don’t know, but Marcus seems to have been acting strangely recently. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is but there’s been something...well, different about him.’

  ‘Has there? And you’re sure you have no idea what it is?’

  Flynn’s tone had sharpened and Natalie jumped as she shot him a startled look. ‘No, I haven’t. Anyway, I’m sure it’s none of our business, although I’m certain Marcus would appreciate knowing how concerned you are about him, O’Rourke!’

  ‘Oh, I’m always concerned if a friend has a problem, Natalie. Look how concerned I’ve been about helping you.’ His voice was as smooth and rich as dark chocolate now. Natalie felt it slide through all her senses, stirring them to life, but she wasn’t going to allow such foolishness to cloud her judgement.

  ‘You can cut out the play-acting! I never wanted you to muscle your way into my life and if I had any choice then we wouldn’t be here. But one thing you and I shall never be is friends!’

  ‘I’m sure you’re right.’ He paused as though considering what she’d said then continued softly, ‘If I’m honest then I must confess that friendship isn’t what I have in mind.’

  ‘Now look here, O’Rourke...’

  He cut her off with a throaty laugh. ‘Sorry, honey, but I find it almost irresistible not to tease you when you rise so beautifully to the bait.’ He glanced out of the window as the taxi turned. ‘Ah, looks as though we’ve arrived.’

  Natalie gripped the strap of her bag. ‘I suggest you confine yourself to necessities,’ she snapped. ‘And teasing or baiting me isn’t on the list!’

  She pushed the door open as the taxi stopped but Flynn caught her arm and prevented her from getting out.

  ‘It is necessary to build up some sort of rapport between us, Natalie. You can’t treat me as a business associate otherwise Renshaw will see through the act in no time. Like it or not, you and I have to appear...intimate.’

  He was right but did he have to put it that way? Her blood quickened at the suggestive note in Flynn’s deep voice but she held back the ensuing flood of sensation. ‘Leave me to worry about Damian! You just concentrate on what you came here to do. I imagine you’ve quite enough to keep you fully occupied!’

  His fingers tightened as he bent towards her. ‘Meaning what, precisely?’

  His voice was edged with something she didn’t understand and the look he gave her was searching. It made her feel strangely uncomfortable, as though Flynn was looking for answers to questions which were important to him.

  Natalie shrugged, feigning indifference to hide her unease and the strange ripples of sensation which were still affecting her more than she wanted them to. Flynn was interfering, pushy and arrogant; her head knew that but her body seemed to be blind to such glaring faults! ‘That making the advert will occupy a great deal of your time, and that the rest of it you will be...’

  ‘Playing the part of your lover?’ He let his hand slide down her arm, leaving a tingling sensation of warmth behind when he finally removed it. ‘Don’t worry, Natalie, I shall do my best to ensure that you are satisfied—on both counts.’

  His tone mocked her and Natalie felt her face colour. Those warm aqua eyes hinted at things she wouldn’t put into words yet which sent sexual awareness rocketing through her system. Flynn O’Rourke was a handsome, sensual man, and everything feminine in her responded to it even though she didn’t want to! Loving Marcus apparently didn’t make her immune to his appeal.

  She got out of the cab without another word, hauling cases after her, more disturbed than she cared to admit. In some indefinable way it made her feel that she was betraying Marcus, and she bitterly resented it. What she felt for Marcus was an integral part of her life, yet Flynn seemed to shake its very foundations. What was it about him which disturbed her so? She had the feeling that the answer to that wouldn’t be simple. Nothing ever was around him!

  ‘Leave that to me.’ Flynn came around and calmly moved her aside before taking over the task of unloading the cases. He flicked her a quick glance. ‘Why don’t you go in and register? This won’t take long.’

  Natalie glared at his broad back as he bent back to the task. Who did he think he was, taking charge all the time? She half opened her mouth to berate him then closed it with a sigh. The last thing she needed right now was to start yet another of their convoluted arguments which she never seemed to win!

  It was cool inside the hotel. Natalie made her way to the reception desk, admiring the magnificent oriental chandeliers which hung from the painted ceilings. Guy and his wife had stayed here on a recent sightseeing trip and it had been on his recommendation that Natalie had booked it for their base. They had been granted permission to use the hotel and its grounds for some of the photos, to provide a contrast to those to be taken in the desert. Now as she looked round she knew that it was absolutely perfect for...

  Her satisfaction melted away as Flynn stepped through the doors and came striding confidently towards her. He had dressed casually that day, his grey trousers and cream sweater oddly echoing her own choice of taupe trousers and white sweatshirt. But even without the benefit of formal clothing the desk clerk sprang to attention, ignoring Natalie as he smiled courteously at O’Rourke.

  ‘Yes, sir? May I be of assistance?’

  ‘The name’s O’Rourke. I imagine you received my telex?’

  ‘Of course, sir, and all the arrangements have been made as you requested, Mr O’Rourke.’

  ‘Good. I’ll register, if you would like to attend to Miss Walters first?’

  The clerk bowed, turning away to sort through some keys. Natalie glanced from him to Flynn and frowned. What was going on? She had made all the arrangements herself, so why had O’Rourke needed to contact the hotel?

  ‘What’s going on?’ she demanded in a low voice.

  ‘Going on?’ Flynn signed the form with a flourish then replaced the pen before smiling quizzically at her. ‘Sorry, but I don’t know what you mean.’

  Natalie caught his arm and drew him away from the desk. ‘Come on! You’re up to something and I want to know what it is. Why did you send a telex? What was it about?’

  ‘You really do have a suspicious nature, Natalie.’ He sighed when she continued to glare at him. ‘There were one or two things I needed to sort out.’

  ‘Things? To do with your business, do you mean?’

  ‘Sort of. Nothing for you to worry about, though.’ He sounded unperturbed, at ease, and just for a moment Natalie found herself hesitating. Was she making a mistake by suspecting him of some sort of chicanery?

  She toyed with the idea for the whole of thirty seconds then dismissed it. Flynn was up to something; the question was what?

  ‘Miss Walters?’ The desk clerk claimed her attention and handed her a key as he called over one of the porters to take her bags. ‘Ahmed will show you to your room, madam.’

  Natalie accepted the ornate brass key and shot Flynn another assessing look but his face betrayed nothing apart from a vague puzzlement, as though he found her accusations hard to understand.

  ‘This way, madam.’ The porter bowed as he picked up her bags and led the way towards the lifts and Natalie had no option but to follow him. Yet as she stepped inside she couldn’t help glancing back across the foyer at Flynn, who was still by the desk. Even as she watched he pulled out his wallet and withdrew several notes, handing them over to the young clerk. Then before Na
talie could see anything more the lift started to move.

  Still speculating on what was going on, Natalie followed the porter along the third-floor corridor only to come to an abrupt halt when he opened a door. ‘Oh, but there must be some mistake. I didn’t request a suite...’

  ‘But I did.’

  Flynn was suddenly there, taking her arm to lead her into the huge sitting-room as he glanced back at the porter. ‘Take the bags through to the bedrooms, please.’

  ‘Let me go, damn you!’ Natalie wrenched her arm free, her face flaming as the porter shot them a startled look. She waited until he’d disappeared into one of the bedrooms then rounded on O’Rourke. ‘I knew you were up to something! I just didn’t get a chance to work out what. But if you imagine that I’m going to share this suite with you then think again!’

  Flynn raised both brows as he swept a hand around the room. ‘You really object to staying here?’

  Natalie barely glanced around the elegant blue and gold sitting-room, unmoved by the opulent furnishings. ‘I object to staying here... with you,’ she snapped. ‘Did you really imagine I would agree?’ She laughed tauntingly. ‘Your ego must be even bigger than I thought!’

  ‘It has nothing whatsoever to do with my ego, Natalie.’ He stopped as the porter reappeared, handing him a tip with the ease of one accustomed to dealing with such matters.

  Natalie stared at the door as the man left, feeling the most absurd urge to flee after him. Flynn O’Rourke had a way of making things go the way he wanted! Her back stiffened, her chin tilting defiantly; he wasn’t getting his way over this, though!

  ‘What do you imagine Renshaw’s plans are, Natalie?’

  ‘I beg your pardon?’ She started nervously, thrown by the unexpected question. Flynn sighed as he walked to the low couch and dropped down on to its blue and gold cushions, treating Natalie to a level look while he selected a fig from the basket on the table in front of it then continued in the same infuriatingly rational tone. ‘Do you really imagine that he will just step aside once he knows I’m here?’ He shook his head. ‘No way. Our friend Damian will do his level best to take advantage of the fact that you and he are under the same roof. Sharing this suite with me will curtail any unwanted... nocturnal visits, shall we call them?’

  ‘You don’t honestly expect me to believe that Damian would force his attention on me?’ she said sceptically.

  ‘I’m saying that it is a possibility. The man is obviously keen. He wouldn’t be going to such lengths as coming out here if he weren’t. So think it through for yourself.’ He took a bite out of the fig, strong white teeth cutting through the juicy flesh. It was a strangely sensuous experience watching him eat as he lounged there like some eastern potentate. All he needed was a harem of beautiful women and he’d be set. But if he imagined she was auditioning for that role he could think again!

  ‘And how do I know it won’t be a case of out of the frying-pan into the fire?’ she demanded hotly.

  Flynn laughed as he stood up and came over to her. ‘Because you have my word.’ He paused deliberately, fixing her with an unwavering stare that she couldn’t seem to break. ‘I promise that I won’t use this situation to my advantage by seducing you...unless you want me to, that is.’

  Natalie gasped in outrage. ‘Never! Don’t flatter yourself, O’Rourke. I shall never be that desperate!’

  ‘Was that meant to be a challenge?’ He tilted her chin so that she was forced to meet his eyes then smiled in a way which made a river of heat flow down her spine. “It’s a good job I’m enough of a gentleman to give you the benefit of the doubt.’

  Natalie shook his hand off, hating the fact that her heart was thumping, her pulse popping like champagne bubbles. It was anger, that was all, nothing else, and definitely not that she wanted him to carry out that ridiculously chauvinistic threat!

  ‘You haven’t the first idea of what that means! A gentleman is someone who doesn’t push his way in where he isn’t wanted, someone who isn’t so egotistical that he believes he is always right, someone who... who...’ She paused then added triumphantly, ‘Someone exactly like Marcus, in fact!’

  Flynn’s eyes were gleaming green shards of ice as they centred on her flushed face and stormy black eyes. ‘Let’s hope that Marcus continues to live up to your expectations, then. It would be a shame to see you disappointed by discovering that your idol has feet of clay.’

  ‘What do you mean? Are you trying to tell me something ... about Marcus?’ Cold seeped through her whole body, stemming from the icy glaze in Flynn’s eyes. Natalie had the sudden feeling that she was looking at a stranger, because he seemed so different now, his handsome face set and uncompromising, his whole body rigid with a tension and anger she didn’t understand.

  She took a shaky breath, deeply disturbed. ‘What are you hinting at, Flynn?’

  He seemed to collect himself, his face smoothing out, the tension easing from him so fast that Natalie wondered if her imagination had been playing tricks. He laughed gently. ‘I’m not hinting at anything, honey. I just want you to see sense, that’s all. It’s a question of putting up with me or maybe suffering Renshaw’s unwelcome attentions—that is if they really are unwelcome?’

  Natalie bristled at his tone, which was little short of insulting now. ‘And what do you mean by that?’

  ‘Do I need to spell it out for you?’ He smiled cynically when she arched an angry brow. ‘Renshaw is rich and well-heeled, quite a catch, I believe. A lot of women would jump at what you’re turning down. So perhaps you’re having second thoughts, eh?’

  Natalie’s hand arced through the air but before it could connect with Flynn’s cheek he’d caught her wrist and stopped her. Twisting her arm behind her back, he slammed her against his hard body so fast that she was left stunned by the impact then held her there while he stared coldly down into her widened eyes.

  ‘Don’t. It would be a big mistake. The last person who tried it ended up in hospital, and he outweighed you by a good sixty pounds and had another six inches of height to his advantage.’ He let her go abruptly. ‘It’s up to you what you decide to do. If you don’t want to stay here then I suggest you phone through to the desk and make other arrangements.’

  Natalie’s hand shook as she reached for the telephone without a word. She felt bitterly ashamed for having tried to strike him but Flynn managed to make her more angry than she’d realised she could be! She put through the call but, after only the briefest conversation with the clerk, hung up.

  ‘Well?’

  She started nervously at the harsh demand, avoiding his eyes so that she wouldn’t have to see that cold contempt in their icy depths. ‘It appears the hotel is full up. Once they received your telex then they re-let my room.’

  ‘Then there doesn’t seem much you can do about it, does there?’ His voice was cold and unyielding, sending shivers through her system. She shot him a wary look then turned away when he smiled thinly at her. ‘I suggest you try remembering one pertinent fact about all this, though, Natalie.’

  ‘Which is?’

  ‘That you are responsible for my being here. You asked me to help you out.’

  ‘Is that right?’ She gave a shaky laugh which held scant amusement. ‘I wonder about that!’

  ‘Meaning what precisely?’

  ‘Meaning that if I stop to think then it seems to me that I’ve had very little say in any of this!’ She held her hand up as she marked off points on her fingers. ‘You stepped in for Marcus and turned up at the opera; you took me home and put me to bed, then while I was sleeping off that migraine you convinced Guy that you would be perfect for the advert. And now you’ve arranged for us to stay together in this suite!’ Her face was troubled as she looked at him. ‘I can’t help feeling that I’ve been skilfully manoeuvred yet I don’t understand why! So tell me just what you get out of all this, Flynn.’

  Flynn laughed softly, stepping closer so that he could tilt her chin, his fingers smoothing along her jaw. ‘Do I real
ly need to answer that, my sweet? Which man wouldn’t jump at the chance of helping out a beautiful woman like you?’

  Natalie pushed his hand away and glared stormily at him. ‘Don’t give me that! It’s just another line. Why won’t you ever give a straight answer? It’s the same when I try asking what you do for a living. You always pass it off!’

  ‘I hadn’t realised it was so important to you.’ He gave a light shrug. ‘It’s no mystery, Natalie. I’m in the insurance business.’

  ‘Insurance?’

  Her dark eyes were full of doubts and he raised one brow in a mocking taunt. ‘If you don’t believe me then you can always ask Marcus. I’m sure he will verify that I’m telling the truth, although why I should want to lie about it is beyond me.’ He picked up the telephone and offered it to her. ‘Go ahead. Phone him. I shan’t be the least bit offended.’

  Natalie shook her head. ‘You know I can’t....I’ve no idea where Marcus is!’

  ‘Of course not. Do you think he’s left the country or what? He didn’t give you any hint what his plans were?’

  ‘No. I’ve already told you that!’ There was a sharp edge to her voice that she couldn’t hide. She felt keyed up enough by recent developments without these constant reminders of how Marcus had gone away without telling her where! ‘Anyway, Marcus’s whereabouts aren’t the problem!’

  ‘But I am?’ He raised both hands palm upwards in a gesture of mock-defeat not reflected by the sparkle in his eyes as they rested on her flushed face. ‘Never mind, Natalie. It’s only for a week. I’m sure you’ll survive.’

  He turned and headed towards the bedrooms, closing the door quietly behind him. Natalie stared at the closed door, unable to shake off a deep feeling of unease. Every time she and Flynn talked she ended up feeling that she knew less about him rather than more. He was such a mystery, a man who asked seemingly innocuous questions which left behind the feeling that they weren’t half so innocent as they seemed! He appeared to be unusually interested in Marcus’s affairs yet she couldn’t understand the link between them.