She glanced at the telephone and sighed. If only she could phone Marcus and speak to him then perhaps she could make sense out of so much that was going on. It would be good to hear his voice again, to put back into her life the stability which seemed to be sadly lacking at present. Ever since Flynn had turned up nothing had been the same and it frightened her, as though her world was being turned upside-down and she had lost all control over it.
Life had been so straightforward not long ago. She’d had her work and her dream that one day Marcus would realise that he loved her. Now it was as though all that had somehow become far less clear-cut. Even how she felt about Marcus didn’t seem quite so simple any longer. Flynn aroused feelings inside her which both confused and shocked her because they were feelings she shouldn’t have about another man! Somehow she was going to have to work through what was happening but it wasn’t going to be easy. Being around Flynn guaranteed that!
CHAPTER FIVE
‘DO GO on, Flynn. It’s all so fascinating.’ Zara laughed huskily as she leant across the table to touch Flynn’s hand. ‘I can’t get over the number of places you’ve seen!’ she added with wide-eyed wonderment.
Natalie picked up her glass of wine, wondering why she felt the sudden urge to toss its contents over the other woman. Flynn had entertained them all with a fund of witty anecdotes over dinner without appearing to dominate the conversation, and Zara had hung on to his every word in a way Natalie resented although she wouldn’t try to work out why!
Flynn eased his hand away and picked up his glass, his green eyes holding a glint of amusement when they met Natalie’s stormy ones. He quirked a brow in a silent, meaningful question as he took a sip of the wine and she looked away, her face flaming. She wasn’t jealous! All right, so maybe he did manage to make her feel off-balance and, well, unsettled, but she’d had time to think about it now and the explanation was simple really; naturally she was on edge with the situation they were in and what they were trying to achieve while they were here, but jealous...never! It was the fact that he was in serious danger of ruining everything by not nipping the other woman’s very obvious interest in the bud which annoyed her, nothing else!
She glanced round the rest of the party but they seemed to find nothing amiss. There were seven of them in all, including herself and Flynn: Zara, the other model for the advertisement, Janette, the stylist who would be in charge of the sets, Gary who did hair and make-up, and David, the photographer, plus his assistant, Ben. And every single one of them was engrossed in O’Rourke’s tale.
Flynn came to the end of the story and they all laughed. Natalie set down her glass and excused herself but, instead of heading for the powder-room, walked out into the lush gardens, needing a few minutes by herself.
Watching Flynn tonight as he had charmed them all had been oddly disturbing. It wasn’t just annoyance over Zara and the damage it could cause which troubled her either. She’d felt as though she’d been watching someone playing a part. On the surface, Flynn appeared to be an amusing raconteur, a man of immense charisma who drew others to him, yet Natalie had the feeling that she was seeing only one side of the true picture. Yet what did she really know about O’Rourke? That charm he used to such effect to draw people to him also formed an impenetrable barrier beyond which she sensed few passed. There was a lot more to him than was at first apparent and suddenly she felt overwhelmed with a need to discover the real man, that tough, steely individual she’d caught only glimpses of so far.
‘Scusi, signorina.’
Natalie jumped as a man pushed past her, forcing her off the path in his haste. She glared after him then started nervously when behind her Flynn suddenly spoke.
‘Are you all right?’
‘Apart from being nearly knocked over, yes. I don’t know why he was in such an almighty rush. What’s down there?’ She stared after the man then glanced back at Flynn and went cold at the expression she saw on his face before he smoothed it away with a dismissive shrug.
‘Nothing, as far as I know. Still, perhaps it isn’t wise to go wandering around at night by yourself like this.’
Natalie bristled at his high-handedness. ‘I am perfectly capable of looking after myself, thank you. I don’t need your advice!’
‘Is that a fact?’ He had her in his arms before she could breathe, pinning her against him.
‘What do you think you’re doing? Let me go!’ Natalie demanded, pushing against his shoulders
‘What I am doing, sweetheart, is proving to you that although you may think yourself capable of handling a situation the reality could prove far different.’ He drew her closer, so close that she could feel every hard, lean inch of his body pressed against hers, feel the steely strength of the muscles beneath her hands. She pushed even harder, wanting suddenly to be free with a desperation which had its basis in nothing logical. Flynn wouldn’t hurt her, she knew that and wasn’t afraid for that reason, but there was no denying the sudden fear she felt at his being so close.
‘Flynn O’Rourke, if you don’t let me go this very instant then I...I...’
‘You’ll do what?’ He moved his hand from her back to cup her cheek and force her to meet his gaze. Natalie renewed her struggles to break free but even though he was only using one arm to hold her now was unable to break his grip.
She glared up at him, hating her own weakness and hating him even more for all the odd breath-stealing sensations, rippling in hot waves through her body, which made a mockery of what she’d tried so hard to convince herself of. What she was feeling right now owed absolutely nothing whatsoever to their situation but everything to the fact that Flynn was holding her so close!
‘I’ll think of something, trust me! Now let me go. You’ve had your fun, so enough!’
He shook his head, his face suddenly very grave, no trace of amusement in the firm set of his mouth. ‘It isn’t fun to prove to you how vulnerable you are, Natalie. That isn’t why I’m doing this. I just want you to be aware that you must always be on your guard and never place yourself in a situation which could prove more than you can handle.’
‘I was perfectly fine until you showed up!’ She took a firm grip on his shoulders and pushed with all her might but Flynn easily retained his hold on her. Natalie held her breath as she tried to summon up patience, but patience and Flynn O’Rourke didn’t go together. ‘Look, Flynn, it might give you some sort of macho pleasure to prove your superior strength but it leaves me cold!’ She glared at him. ‘Why don’t you save it for Zara? I’m sure she would be ecstatic to be on the receiving end of such a show of masculine prowess!’
He laughed deeply, tilting her face towards the light from one of the lamps which were strung along the path at intervals. ‘No, definitely not green. For a moment there you had me worried, sweetheart.’ His thumb stroked the soft underside of her jaw, his voice dropping to a soft, rich vibrancy which made a shudder of sensation uncurl in her stomach. ‘There’s no need for you to feel jealous of Zara or anyone else. I’m all yours on this trip, Natalie...every bit of me.’
‘Jealous? Why, you...you egotistical...!’ Words failed her so she could only stand and glare her denial of the charge, but he seemed unperturbed by her anger. He looked past her, his eyes narrowing as he stared along the path.
‘Did you know that man?’
Natalie looked round, startled by the sudden question. ‘No. I’ve never seen him before. Why?’
Flynn shrugged but there was a steely glimmer in his green eyes as they returned to her face. ‘No reason. But don’t go wandering around by yourself again.’
‘Your concern is touching. However, apart from you, I don’t think there are too many bogymen lurking behind the bushes!’
‘Oh, I wasn’t lurking, Natalie. I followed you out here.’ The chill eased from his expression, his eyes gleaming with a warmth which made her go hot all over as they centred on her parted lips. ‘I must say that I’m glad I did now.’
‘You are?’ Her voice sounded husky,
strained, revealing far more than she cared to about how she felt right then. Her fingers curled against the smooth cloth of his suit but with him holding her so close there was no place to move them to. ‘I...I think you should let me go now, Flynn. You’ve proved your point.’
‘Have I?’ His voice seemed to have deepened, soft and disturbing as it carried through the quiet little nighttime sounds of leaves rustling, a bird calling gently in some nocturnal burst of sound. It seeped through Natalie’s body and set off a chain of reactions—first a tiny shiver, next a ripple, then a slow steady surge of tingles which ran along every nerve. Natalie had never felt so achingly conscious of every cell before, never felt this crazy sensation of coming to life bit by bit. It shocked her into stillness and kept her unmoving in the circle of Flynn’s arms.
‘I’d say there was still a lot to prove, Natalie, to you and to me.’ There was an inflexion in those deep tones that she didn’t understand yet couldn’t query as his hand started a slow journey down her spine, his fingers tracing its length through the thin silk of her top. His hand moved again, sweeping up this time, not down, to curl around the delicate bones of her shoulder and run along to come to rest against the pulse at the base of her throat which was tapping out a message she could only guess at. Deep inside a small voice was trying to warn her that it was madness to stand here like this, but the sound of his voice seemed to have cast a spell over her which was growing stronger with each slow caress. With the last vestige of sanity she possessed, Natalie murmured an objection.
‘Don’t, Flynn. You mustn’t.’
His laughter was quick and fierce, his hand moving up to cup her cheek while he stroked the smooth flesh with the pad of his thumb, lazy circles which made the heat inside her spread. ‘I can’t help it, Natalie. The man isn’t born who could hold you in his arms and not want to touch you.’ He bent closer, holding her gaze as he added softly, ‘Or kiss you.’
Natalie’s heart went wild, sending the blood surging along her veins. There were just inches between her and Flynn now, his breath warm and sweet on her parted lips, a precursor to the kiss they were about to share.
Natalie closed her eyes as she tried to summon up the strength to tell him to stop, but that seemed impossible to do—to fight not just him but her own desires as well. She wanted him to kiss her, wanted to feel the hard demand of his lips on hers, with a need which defied logic. He angered her more than any man had ever done, infuriated her with his arrogance and high-handed assurance, but she wanted him to kiss her!
‘Flynn.’ His name was a whisper which barely disturbed the night but she knew he’d heard it. Under her hands she felt his muscles tense, heard the small, sharp intake of breath just a moment before his mouth touched hers so lightly that it was more an impression than anything else, just a tantalising hint of what was to come. Yet before Flynn could deepen the kiss as Natalie longed for him to do someone spoke.
‘Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to interrupt.’
The aching sense of disappointment was so strong that Natalie could have wept, yet Flynn just calmly stepped away from her, a rueful smile on his face. ‘Don’t worry, Zara. I’m sure Natalie and I will find plenty of other opportunities to carry on with what we were doing. Did you want us?’
Zara laughed, although there was a forced note to the sound. ‘We’ve decided to go to the son et lumière show at the Sphinx tonight. Would you... and Natalie, of course... like to come?’
‘Why not? You would like to see it, wouldn’t you, darling?’
Natalie nodded, afraid to speak in case Flynn heard the anguish in her voice. There was no point in telling herself that what had happened couldn’t have been more opportune; it must have convinced Zara that she and Flynn were a couple better than any hints could have done. She still felt wretched.
In near silence she let him escort her back to the group, responding automatically to the conversation throughout the remainder of the evening. Yet when she lay in bed that night she could recall little of what had been said and even less of what they had seen. She stared up at the ornate ceiling with eyes which burned with unshed tears of self-disgust. What kind of a woman was she that she could act that way? She loved Marcus, yet Marcus had been the last person in her thoughts in the garden before. Flynn had seduced her with a few soft words, an expert touch and she had been putty in his hands.
Her love for Marcus should have made her immune to the desire that Flynn had aroused in her, but she couldn’t lie to herself. She had wanted Flynn to kiss her, wanted even more than that, if she was being completely honest; but why? Why should she feel this way about him? Why should all thoughts of Marcus fade so completely when Flynn held her in his arms? Was her love not strong enough to withstand the test of another man’s attractions?
It was an oddly bitter thought yet not as bitter as the realisation that it had meant less than nothing to Flynn. He had shown no sign of regret when Zara had interrupted them. It had been merely a game to him, a way to prove that Natalie was as susceptible as any other woman to his charms. But she would never let him use her like that again!
A door suddenly closed softly, then quiet footsteps crossed the sitting-room floor followed by the clink of glass. Natalie frowned as she tried to ignore the small sounds of movement in the sitting-room, but it was impossible. She could just imagine that damnable man, O’Rourke, in the other room, pouring himself a drink before sprawling comfortably on the couch. He would have taken his jacket off and loosened his tie and most probably rolled his shirt-sleeves up as he seemed to make a habit of doing.
Music flowed through the closed door, not loud enough to wake her if she’d been asleep but Natalie hadn’t managed to achieve that state yet. She burrowed her head into the pillows to block out the irritating little noises but she heard when Flynn put the glass down, guessed that the soft double thud was him kicking off his shoes, knew the very moment when he rested his head back on the cushions.
She rolled over and moaned quietly with sudden cold dread. Beyond that door was a man who had shown her tonight just how susceptible she was to his particular brand of charm. Would loving Marcus be enough to stop her being so vulnerable again in the future, now that she knew the effect Flynn could have on her? She hoped so. Flynn O’Rourke was a lot of things, from amusing to irritating, with so many shades in between. But to Natalie there was just one word to sum him up: dangerous... to her peace of mind!
“There’s nothing more we can do, Natalie. We’ll have to leave it for now and try again tomorrow.’ David shrugged philosophically as he picked up the heavy metal camera case. ‘It’s just the way it goes sometimes.’
Calling to Ben to bring the rest of the equipment, he started back to the bus with the others trailing after him. Natalie watched them go, fighting to keep a rein on her temper. It had been one delay after another since they’d started out that morning, from the bus arriving late to take them out to the Sphinx where the first shots were to be taken, to the officials in charge of the site refusing to allow them to do so despite the fact that they. had written permission. To Natalie’s annoyance it had taken Flynn’s intervention, and the handing over of various sums of money, to sort it out. And now, when they were finally ready to start, the whole area was teeming with people, making it impossible to get the shots they wanted.
‘It might be better if you found a different location. One which isn’t quite so popular.’
Natalie picked up her tote-bag and clipboard, sparing Flynn a chilly look. ‘Thank you, but I’m sure we can work this out without any advice from you.’
‘I was merely trying to be helpful. You do seem to be rather touchy today, Natalie. Is there something wrong?’
‘Nothing that getting this...this fiasco over and done with won’t solve!’
‘I see.’ His tone was smooth as silk yet Natalie felt colour sweep up her cheeks. She turned away, not wanting him to guess the cause of her irritation. She’d barely slept all night long and when she had her dreams had been filled with im
ages and scenes she didn’t want to recall in the clear light of day! Suffice it to say that Flynn O’Rourke had featured prominently in all of them!
She strode back towards the bus, screwing her eyes up against the glare from the sun while she tried to ignore the man at her side, but, as she knew from experience, that was impossible. No matter how hard she tried, she found herself glancing his way, her traitorous senses stirring at the sight he made in the flowing white robes he was wearing over loose white trousers and a white shirt which laced up the front. He had removed the headdress and his blond hair was blown straight back from his forehead by the breeze, leaving the purity of his profile starkly unadorned. He looked magnificent as he strode along with the robes billowing around his tall, lean frame. The outfit was the one Natalie had designed for the part he was playing in the advertisement but he wore it with an easy assurance that few men could have matched. He reminded her of a chameleon, able to change one skin for another yet still appear completely comfortable. It just served to highlight once again how little she knew about him.
‘I’ll get out of these clothes and see you on the bus.’
He disappeared towards the rear of the vehicle where a small tent had been set up for their use. Natalie watched him go then shrugged off her momentary unease. She was allowing her imagination to run away with her. Flynn O’Rourke was an associate of Marcus’s, a businessman who dealt in a highly respectable field. What more was there to know?
The hotel was quiet when they arrived back. David swept a glance around the deserted foyer then turned to Natalie. ‘How about taking some of the indoor shots? I doubt we’ll get a better opportunity.’
Natalie nodded. ‘Yes, good idea. I’ll just go and clear it with the manager then fetch my notes from upstairs. We can run through the scene while we have coffee.’
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