‘Aren’t I always nice to your friends?’ He looked innocent.
Kate could remember a few occasions when he hadn’t been, but she didn’t remind him of them. ‘I like Alan, I don’t want you scaring him off.’
‘As long as he isn’t another Damien I won’t interfere,’ he promised.
‘He’s nothing like him,’ she declared fiercely. ‘Now behave!’
She rushed to open the door as the bell sounded again. ‘Alan!’ she smiled happily, reaching up to kiss him fleetingly on the lips, opening the door further for him to come inside.
Alan Reed was twenty-eight, a man who had worked himself up to being in charge of a large computer section in a flourishing firm. He carried himself with an authority Kate liked, remaining calm in any situation. He was tall and powerful, his body muscled, his light brown hair brushed casually back from his face and drawing attention to his deep blue eyes. He was good-looking without being conceited about it, always attentive, always courteous.
He turned now to pull her into his arms, demanding and receiving a lengthier kiss than he had received at the door. ‘Mm,’ he sighed against her lips. ‘I’ve missed you.’
They hadn’t seen each other for two days and she had missed him too, missed his companionship more than anything. ‘James’ car has broken down and I told him we’d give him a lift home. He’s in the lounge.’
Alan took a step back. ‘Oops, I didn’t realise you had company.’
‘It’s only James,’ she dismissed. ‘I think we should leave now if you’re ready. I should think he would like to shower and change before the rest of his guests arrive.’
‘Yes, sure.’
‘Come in and meet him,’ Kate invited. ‘I’ll just get my fur jacket.’
She introduced the two men before disappearing into her bedroom. She couldn’t help but feel relieved when she found them deep in conversation when she came back into the room. There could be no doubt that James approved of Alan, which was just as well, as she wasn’t going to give him up. Alan was exactly what she needed to help her forget Damien, and she felt sure she would need his support this evening when she had to face Damien again.
She and Alan had been dating for about a month now, and while his kisses might not fire her as Damien’s had she knew she was safe with him. He would never ask for more out of their friendship than she was prepared to give. She felt secure with him, happy and relaxed, something she had never felt with Damien.
She sat in the back of the car on the drive to the house, listening with interest to the conversation between the two men.
It was still only nine o’clock when they arrived, but already the house was full of people, the overflow gathered around the pool area. It was among one of these groups that they found Sheri.
‘Darling!’ she reached up to kiss her husband, moving away from her guests to be with him. ‘I was beginning to get worried. I know you said you were coming with Kate, but I couldn’t help wondering what had happened to you.’
He grimaced. ‘Damien again! He’s working the pants off everyone. He was still at it when I left.’
She smiled. ‘He probably still is, he hasn’t arrived here yet.’
‘Maybe he won’t bother. He hasn’t been very sociable lately.’
That was probably the reason Kate hadn’t met him at any of the other parties she had attended. She hadn’t deliberately set out not to see him again, he just hadn’t been around. Not that she for one moment thought he was carrying out his threat to avoid her. He probably had a new conquest and wanted to keep her to himself, and that was the reason for his unsociable behaviour. Whatever his reasons she hoped he didn’t turn up tonight.
Sheri hugged James’ arm to her side. ‘Would you like me to get you something to eat?’
‘I had something at the studio, thanks. But you can come along to the bedroom and help me change if you like.’
The glow in his grey eyes was wickedly inviting.
She giggled. ‘Our guests, James!’
He looked around at the chattering, laughing people. ‘They won’t even notice we’ve gone.’
‘Oh, James …’
‘Come on.’ He took a firm hold of her arm. ‘No more arguments.’
Kate chuckled as the two disappeared into the house, smiling at Alan as he managed to get a couple of drinks for them from a passing waiter. ‘You’ll have to excuse them, they haven’t been married very long.’
‘They make a nice couple.’ He looked curiously at the other guests. ‘I would say James has quite an impressive guest list. So far I think we’re the only two here whom I haven’t either seen on the television or at the cinema. How come you got mixed up with this crowd?’
‘Don’t you like them?’ She looked amused.
‘I haven’t spoken to any of them yet.’
She put her hand companionably through the crook of his arm. ‘I’ll take you round and introduce you to some of them.’
They were soon caught up in the laughing crowd, the place simply overflowing with people. They finally ended up in the largest room of the house where about fifty of the guests were attempting to dance. Kate and Alan finally gave up trying, simply swaying together to the music.
Alan grinned down at her. ‘Like I said, how did you get mixed up with a mad crowd of people like this?’
‘James is an old family friend,’ she evaded. ‘They’re not so bad once you get to know them. They just work and play very hard.’
‘Oh, I’m not complaining,’ his smile was teasing. ‘I’m enjoying the dancing immensely.’
She laughed up at him. ‘Impossible, isn’t it? Shall we—’
‘Excuse me,’ cut in a familiarly icy voice. ‘Can I borrow the lady for a dance or two?’ drawled Damien Savage.
Kate’s brown eyes flew open in alarm, the gold flecks more pronounced in her distress. ‘I don’t—’
Damien ignored her, pinpointing the other man with his inflexible green eyes. ‘Do you have any objections?’
Alan looked taken aback by this arrogant man’s persistence. ‘I don’t have any. But—’
‘Good.’ Damien effectively cut in front of him, pulling Kate roughly into his arms.
To be suddenly this close to him after not seeing him for so long made her tremble in his arms. He looked so attractive, dressed in white trousers and shirt, a royal blue velvet jacket fitting tautly across his shoulders. The shirt was opened casually at the throat, allowing her to see the beginning of the dark hairs that she knew ran across his chest and down past his navel. The thought of it made her tremble more than ever.
‘Cold?’ he murmured against her temple.
He knew very well she wasn’t! ‘A little,’ she lied.
His answer was to pull her even closer, the firm outline of his thighs digging into her soft flesh. ‘Better?’ he asked softly.
She couldn’t answer him, her emotions were running so high. He had no right to do this to her, no right to play on her senses like this. She cleared her throat before speaking. ‘Actually, I was just going to sit down when you interrupted us.’
Damien looked down at her, his expression grim. ‘Who was the man?’
‘His name is Alan.’ She avoided his eyes.
‘You don’t waste much time, do you? How does James feel about him?’
‘James likes him.’ She could feel the heat of his body through her clothing and it only unnerved her more. Her hands rested lightly on his shoulders, his own arms like steel bands about her slim body.
‘Then he has more forbearance than I do,’ he muttered. ‘I can’t bear to see any other man touch you.’
Kate tried to move away from him, but it wasn’t very easy in this crush of people. ‘Please don’t start talking like that again. I don’t feel the same way about it.’
‘And this Alan,’ he demanded, ‘is he the marrying kind?’
‘I believe so.’
‘I know so,’ he said roughly. ‘You aren’t marrying him, Kate. You aren’t marr
ying anyone!’
This time she did pull out of his arms. ‘I’ll marry who I damn well please!’
The look in his eyes was frankly seductive, his mouth only inches away from her own. She looked around for Alan, but he seemed to have disappeared. Kate felt herself weakening towards Damien without the shield of Alan between them.
Damien slowly moved her into the curve of his arm, steering her out towards the pool. But they didn’t stop there, Damien taking her out further to the garden and beyond. Finally he stopped, the noise of the party only a faint murmur in the distance.
Kate looked up at him with troubled brown eyes. ‘Damien …’
‘Oh, Kate!’ He slowly bent his head to caress her throat with firm sensuous lips. ‘I’ve missed you,’ he admitted huskily.
Her protests died in her throat at the gentleness of his tone. Savagery might have evoked a much different response, but this gentleness she just couldn’t fight. ‘Did you really?’ she asked softly, searching his arrogant features as if starved of the sight of him. And she was, she was just hungry for him. His harsh, sometimes cruel face was so dear to her, and for the moment she had forgotten Alan, had forgotten everyone but Damien.
‘Can’t you tell?’ he asked ruefully. ‘I’m sure James could tell you I’ve been hell to work for the last few weeks.’
She gave a soft smile. ‘He did.’
A certain grimness appeared about his mouth. ‘When did you see James?’
She shrugged. ‘This is his party.’
‘I know that,’ he said impatiently. ‘But a party isn’t exactly the sort of place you would hold that sort of conversation. Do you see a lot of him?’
‘Quite a bit, yes.’
Damien’s hold on her arms tightened. ‘It has to stop, Kate. All these other men have to stop. I can’t stand the sight of you with anyone else.’
She was beginning to feel mesmerised by the seduction evident in his eyes. ‘Now look, Damien, I—I haven’t seen you for over two months. You can’t calmly walk back into my life and tell me to stop seeing people I happen to like very much.’
‘I don’t want you to see anyone but me,’ he groaned. ‘You’re much too beautiful for my peace of mind. You ought to be locked up out of sight of other men. You’ve put me through hell the last few weeks. I can’t eat, I can’t sleep. Only work seems to dull the pain. I work until I’m so damned exhausted I collapse into a dreamless coma for a couple of hours.’
‘Oh, Damien!’ she was moved by the agony in his voice.
‘Yes—oh, Damien,’ he echoed derisively. ‘You’re so far into my system I can’t think straight. And as for other women—forget it! I can’t feel anything for them.’
‘Oh, Damien,’ she choked.
His mouth tightened and he pulled her roughly against him. ‘Will you stop saying that! Just the sound of you saying my name is enough to turn me on.’ His hands moved caressingly up her body, moulding her against the lean length of him. ‘I’d love to hear you cry out my name as I made love to you.’
His words evoked pictures of the two of them together, rekindled thoughts she had striven to dampen over the past ten weeks.
‘Won’t you let me have you, Kate?’ he pleaded against the softness of her throat, his lips seeming to burn where they touched.
‘You know I can’t,’ she held on to the last of her sanity. ‘I’ve already explained my reasons to you.’
‘Damn your reasons!’ He wrenched up her chin, his mouth savagely forcing her lips apart. When she groaned her pain relented slightly, his lips gently probing but his arms just as immovable.
Why must it always end like this, their being in each other’s arms, their bodies crying out for each other? For Damien it was just basic lust, for her it was love. Both four-letter words and both so different in meaning. But such an important difference!
He was in complete control of her, moving her so that the grass was beneath her, Damien at her side. He turned her towards him, devouring her with that mouth that could look so cruel at times.
It seemed so long since she had been in his arms and it seemed so very right that they should be like this. Her hands were up about his neck, her fingers caressing his nape. His hair felt so thick and vital, so strong, like the rest of him.
She felt dizzy with desire, her body soft and pliant in his hands, her breasts pulsating with life beneath his probing fingers. Her clothing had been no barrier to his questing hands, the buttons down the front of her blouse easily undone and her breasts released to his searching lips.
She came up for air. ‘Damien, please! You said you’d finished with me, that you didn’t want any more to do with me.’
‘I was wrong.’ His lips strayed across her cheek, kissing each closed eyelid in turn. ‘I can’t stay away from you, I don’t want to stay away. We both know what I want.’
‘But I told you—’
‘I know,’ he silenced her with the pressure of his mouth on hers. ‘But I’ve been thinking this thing out between us. I rushed you. You need time to get to know me.’
‘No. I—’ she shook her head. ‘I don’t need time.’ She began to button her blouse with shaking fingers. ‘Why can’t you—why can’t you stay away from me?’ She felt so ashamed of what she had just let happen between them when she knew that was all he wanted from her. ‘Why won’t you accept no for an answer?’
‘Because your body isn’t saying no. You’re a complete contradiction. Your eyes and mouth say no, but your body tells a different story.’
‘That’s because you’re using all your experience on me. And you have plenty of that, don’t you?’ She stood up, brushing the grass from her skirt.
‘Don’t resort to insults, Kate. They aren’t helping the situation.’
‘Is it insulting to tell the truth?’ She smoothed back her hair. God, she must look a mess!
There was no other way round this problem, she would have to stay away from Damien. Both of them had decided at different times that they weren’t going to see each other again, that they wanted different things out of life, but neither of them seemed to have any control over the situation when they met. They just seemed to gravitate together and the only way to stop it was to stay away from each other.
Damien sighed, standing beside her now. There was still a glazed look in his eyes and his hands shook as he smoothed back his hair, the hair she had lovingly ruffled only seconds earlier.
‘Don’t kid yourself this is going to stop,’ he warned her gruffly. ‘It’ll get worse before it gets better,’ he assured her. ‘Don’t you think I haven’t tried to get rid of this insatiable desire for you? Believe me, I’ve tried. I’ve taken out a dozen or more women in the last few weeks, they don’t do a thing for me—except remind me of what I really want.’
Kate began walking back to the house. ‘Then make love to one of them. But leave me alone!’
Damien swung her round to face him, his face ravaged, his eyes tortured. ‘I’m trying to tell you—I can’t take them! Nothing happens. Can you believe that?’ He shook his head.
‘With your reputation—no,’ she said firmly.
‘It’s never happened to me before. I don’t understand it myself.’
She resumed making her way to the house, the music and chatter becoming louder all the time. Whatever must Alan be thinking of her? She would find him and then they could leave. It must be getting quite late anyway.
‘I don’t want to understand it,’ she dismissed. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to find the man I came here with.’
Damien brought her up short with a grip on her arm. ‘You mean you can just walk away from me, after what just happened?’
‘Nothing happened,’ she avoided his eyes.
He flung her away from him. ‘Nothing happened!’ he repeated violently. ‘I nearly made love to you just now and you say nothing happened! What a cold little bitch you are!’
Cold! That was the last thing she was. She had felt aflame since the first time she had me
t him, and each time it grew worse. ‘If you like to think so,’ she agreed distantly.
‘Kate,’ he groaned her name. ‘You can’t go!’
Well, she certainly couldn’t stay! He was tearing her apart. She wanted to get back to Alan, where she felt safe. She gave Damien one last look before walking off to find Alan.
She hurried into what had once been her bedroom, blushing anew at the sight that met her in the mirror. Her hair was in complete disorder and she had a wild untamed look about her eyes. Her cheeks were flaming and her mouth had a kissed, bruised look. She looked exactly what she was, a girl who had been kissed until she was almost senseless.
Oh, Damien … She sat down on the bed, her shoulders slumped, her look one of utter defeat. If Damien were to come in here now she would surrender herself to him without a word—anything to stop this gnawing ache inside of her.
Her head shot up as the door opened softly, the gladness leaving her face as she saw who it was. ‘Matt Strange!’ she breathed his name with disbelief, feeling as if she had played this scene once before.
He walked arrogantly into the room, completely sure of himself. ‘The one and only,’ he slurred the words. The drink in his hand was evidence of his inebriated state. And he was one man who didn’t need alcohol to give him confidence, he had enough of that already.
Kate just wasn’t in the mood for him. To be perfectly truthful she had really become fed up with him in the last few weeks. He seemed to turn up at every party she went to, always making his interest in her plain. Well, she didn’t like him and she just couldn’t hide these feelings.
She repressed a shiver of revulsion towards him, not liking the look in his eyes at all. ‘Shall we rejoin the party?’ she asked him as politely as she was able.
‘Not so fast.’ His hand shot out and he pinned her against the wall with his body. ‘Been out for a little tussle on the grass with Damien?’ he taunted, breathing whisky fumes all over her.
It was so near the truth and so crudely put that the hot colour quickly flooded her cheeks. ‘Don’t be so disgusting!’ she snapped, finding it impossible to escape from the circle of his arms.
Savage Interlude Page 12