Charlotte Lamb - Pagan Encounter

by Charlotte Lamb

  Leigh quietly went up the stairs to her flat and let herself inside, halting in disbelief as she saw the lamp lit beside an armchair and Matt's lean body lounging in it.

  She closed the door and stood there, staring into his icy grey eyes. 'How did you get in here?'

  'Sam let me in,' he said grimly.

  'I shall have to ask Sam never to do such a thing again,' she said angrily.

  'You won't,' he said, rising. 'I told you once never to involve other people in our private war, Leigh, and I meant it.' She opened the door. 'Get out!' He pushed it shut, staring into her face with a harshness she had never seen on his features before.

  'You took your time getting out of Lianos's car,' he said, his mouth barely parting to speak the words.

  She deliberately looked into the grey eyes. 'He was making love to me.'

  Matt caught her by the throat, his fingers savage, dragging her towards him. 'Do you think I needed to be told that?' he asked through his teeth. 'My God, you'll use any weapon, won't you, Leigh?' He bent his head and began to kiss her with the same brutal violence he had shown that first day in the lift, forcing her lips to part in yielding consent for him.

  Leigh had known from the moment that she walked into the room that this would happen. She had known, she thought blindly, trying to resist him, ever since she saw him in the lobby and met the flint-grey eyes and heard the barbed voice.

  She pulled back her head, wincing at the strength he used to compel her to stay in his arms. 'Stop it, Matt ... you've forgotten our agreement, haven't you?'

  He loosened her hair until it fell in silken strands around her face, his hand rippling through it, watching the glinting hair fall through his fingers. 'You made that condition to save your face, Leigh,' he said sardonically.

  'We both know that. You wanted to take the job, but you were afraid I'd read more into it than you wanted me to...'

  She slapped him with all her strength across his face, and a white fury came into the grey eyes. His hand flew back before she could move, and the blow knocked her off balance.

  He caught her as she fell, lifting her into his arms as if she were weightless. 'Let me go,' she said bitterly, twisting to escape from his arms, aware in terror that he was carrying her into the bedroom. 'No, Matt,' she said, her throat closing. 'No, please ...'

  He silenced her, his kiss deep and sensual, and her eyes shut, her hands ceasing to push against his wide shoulders, their fingers beginning to move restlessly against them instead, sliding towards his neck, tentatively creeping into the silvered black hair.

  The kiss deepened. Leigh was floating, her mind ceasing to operate, aroused beyond the point of understanding anything but the rising hunger of her own body. He framed her face within his hands, kissing her lids, her ears, her throat, and for a split second her brain registered the fact that they were lying on the bed without Leigh having any idea how they had got there, but before she could think anything else Matt's mouth had found hers again and she was lost.

  As he kissed her, his hands moved over her body. It was not until her dress slid away that she realised what he had been doing, and then she did begin to struggle, protesting bitterly, 'No, let me go!' Matt held her firmly, staring into her wide-open, angry blue eyes.

  'I've waited for this for six hours, Leigh,' he said harshly. 'You knew what reaction you'd get if you went out with Lianos.'

  Her eyes widened, her lashes quivering.

  'Didn't you?' He tilted her chin roughly, making her look at him. 'Didn't you?'

  Her pulses were hammering against her temple and in her throat. 'Jealous, Matt?'

  she asked in a whisper that shook.

  He didn't answer, his eyes staring into hers. After a moment he looked down at her body, the white shoulders bared when he pulled off her dress, the small high breasts now partially covered by the deep green lace of her slip. Leigh watched his face, her heart deafening her. Slowly he lowered his dark head. Her eyes closed abruptly as he brushed his mouth very softly over her shoulders, his lips parted so that she could feel the warm inner moisture of his mouth sliding over her skin. He delicately kissed the soft hollow in her throat, his hands smoothly caressing her body, and Leigh gave a smothered murmur of protesting pleasure.

  Pushing aside the green lace, his lips moved over the smooth white breasts, and Leigh felt a churning turmoil deep inside her stomach. She was suddenly flaming with responses so deep they seemed to wrench at her like agonising pain. Her head began to twist restlessly, her hands flung out on either side of her body, their fingers curling in clenched passion.

  Matt suddenly stopped, raising his head to look at her. 'Open your eyes, Leigh,' he ordered grimly.

  Her lids fluttered back, her eyes dazed.

  'Is the citadel mine, Leigh?' he asked.

  She stared at him, quivering.

  'I want to hear you submit, Leigh,' he said, his fingers cruel as they took hold of her face. 'Sooner or later you're going to admit defeat.'

  She closed her eyes. 'Yes,' she whispered in bitterness.

  'Look at me when you say it,' he commanded.

  Groaning, she opened her eyes. 'Yes,' she admitted wearily.

  His hands grew warmly caressing, tilting her head. When his mouth came down to her she slide her arms around his neck, total surrender in every inch of her body, shuddering under the impact of his unleashed hunger.

  Suddenly he pushed her away and got up. She lay, broken out of the pulsing excitement so abruptly that she was dizzy, watching in confused disbelief as he did up his shirt and pushed it down into his trousers.

  He looked at her, his grey glance travelling over the slender curves of her half-dressed body. 'Don't make any more dates with Kit Lianos, Leigh,' he said. 'You have Hume stamped all over you, and if I have to make that clear to every man in the building I will. Do you understand?'

  Leigh was shivering as the sensual warmth of his hands and body gave way to the aftermath of humiliation, misery and self-contempt. Trying to retrieve some self- respect, she said, her voice shaky. 'I'm not your personal property!'

  His mouth twisted sardonically. 'You've just admitted that you are,' he told her.

  'I did nothing of the kind!'

  'Do I have to win the battle all over again, Leigh?' he asked wryly. 'The citadel just surrendered--we both heard the walls fall down. I haven't taken it yet, but it's nine just the same, and I want no other man within a mile of it.'

  She stared at him, bewildered, trying to read the look on the hard face. 'I don't understand you,' she murmured. Just now he could have made love to her without any resistance, yet he had stopped. Why? Was it some sort of cat-and-mouse game intended to break her spirit?

  "I'm aware that you don't understand, Leigh,' he said, firmly. 'The day you do, the war ends.'

  She sat up and pulled the coverlet around her shoulders, shivering. 'I hate you,' she muttered under her breath.

  Matt laughed under his own breath and she looked at him furiously.

  'I do,' she said bitterly. 'We agreed that you'd leave me alone. I'm not going to be your mistress, Matt.'

  'You'll be whatever I want you to be,' he said coolly.

  'You arrogant bastard!' she gasped. Her lids lowered. 'And if the gossip gets to Cathy Lord?'

  There was a silence. She looked round at him. Matt was staring at her with speculative eyes.

  'Why should it?' he asked softly. 'You're so very discreet. Leigh, the perfect secretary.'

  Her flush grew, if you lay a hand on me again I'll tell her everything,' she said, it's time someone opened her eyes to the sort of man you really are!'

  His brows drew together. 'Are you trying to blackmail me, Leigh?'

  'No,' she said flatly, 'I'm warning you. It was a mistake for me to take a job with you. I admit, I like the work, but if you refuse to leave me alone you'll leave me with no option but to walk out.'

  'Isn't it time you faced the fact that I'll never let you walk out on me, Leigh?' he asked softly. 'One way o
r another, you're staying.'

  'Not as your mistress,' she retorted, shuddering.

  He thrust his hands into his pockets, his eyes narrowed on her face. 'I could have made you my mistress just now and you would have done nothing to stop me,' he said. 'But I didn't.'

  Her eyes filled with flickering confusion. 'Why?' she asked so shakily the word was practically inaudible.

  'Work it out for yourself,' he said grimly, turning towards the door. 'Just get this clear, Leigh. You're staying as my secretary, and you won't be going out with other men. You're my property. Is that understood?'

  'No,' she said defiantly.

  He gave a wry smile. 'You know you'll do what I tell you,' he said. 'Goodnight, Leigh.'

  As he left the flat she rolled on to her face, pounding her pillow with her fists. She was caught in a trap from which there was no escape. She had come to London to work for Matt, intending to punish him for his ruthless selfishness, but that implacable will of his imprisoned her. She should never have allowed herself to come within a mile of him. She had no chance of winning a struggle with him when her own body always fought on his side.

  Bitterly she admitted to herself that she had gone out with Kit just to annoy Matt. She had known he would be furious. After seeing him in the lobby she had sensed that he would be waiting for her when she got back, much as her pride and self-respect had refused to allow her to admit the fact, even though it had hovered in her mind during her hours with Kit. By going out with Kit she had deliberately challenged Matt, and she had known he would pick up her gauntlet and respond in some way.

  Her plan of revenge had gone wildly astray; her own emotions were too deeply involved. She no longer even wanted to go through with it. She did not want to see the pain in Cathy's eyes. She was too afraid of pain, terrified to stir up the cruel emotion of jealousy.

  She stared at the ceiling, her blue eyes wide. Was she jealous of Matt and Cathy Lord? She pictured him with Cathy in his arms, and felt nothing but anger. He had no right to hurt that silly, vulnerable child.

  A peculiar, birdlike flutter began in her stomach. Matt had no right to amuse himself with other women. A curious, fixed expression froze her eyes. Why on earth had she phrased it like that? No right ... Her heart began to thud. Matt had no right to do it because he belonged to her. Beneath the powerful surge of desire between them she was aware of a strong, insistent sense of ownership towards him which had nothing to do with any softer emotion like love.

  Tonight when he forced her to admit she wanted him he had only been making her put into words what she had known that first day in the lift.

  They belonged together. Cathy Lord could never match Matt on the same level. It was not merely a driving sexual hunger which drew them together--at some level in their minds they were curiously similar. She recognised him as her counterpart. They were equals, mentally and emotionally, even when he was dominating her physically.

  She remembered how he had said, 'We're more alike than you'll admit,' and how her body had blazed with response at the words, surprising and bewildering her. Now she knew exactly what he meant. They were creatures of the same world, their natures oddly dovetailing. She had felt it during lunch on their way from Leicester, catching sight of them in the mirror, seeing the intimacy and communion of their bodies from a distance.

  Restlessly she got off the bed and walked up and down the room, frowning over the problem.

  Was she in love with Matt?

  She halted, staring at her own reflection in the mirror. No, she thought quickly. No.

  She got ready for bed and lay down, the room in darkness, her mind too active to permit sleep, trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle Matt had presented her with together.

  When sleep did come it was daylight and the birds were singing. Leigh was exhausted when she drove to the office with Sam. He eyed her pale face with concern.

  'Late night, Leigh?'

  She smiled, a faint movement of her mouth. 'Yes,' she admitted.

  Sam was frowning as he drove. 'See Matt last night?' he asked. 'Did I do wrong in letting him into your fiat?' She heard the worried note in his voice, and was quick to put his mind at rest.

  'Of course not, Sam.' Matt had said she must not involve Sam in their private war, and he was right.

  Sam relaxed. 'You shouldn't lose sleep, though, Leigh,' he added. 'You look pretty rough this morning.'

  Leigh glanced at him curiously, wondering what he had thought of the fact that Matt had asked him to let him wait in her flat all evening. Sam's face betrayed nothing but concern, yet she suspected that he must realise that the relationship between herself and Matt was hardly that of mere secretary and boss.

  Barbara was late again that morning, her eyes dancing as she rushed into the office.

  'Only two more days! Thank goodness for that. I can't wait to get away from London traffic.'

  Leigh looked up from the cabinet she was thumbing h-.rough. 'Have trouble again?'

  "I always get caught in traffic jams,' Barbara sighed. 'D:d you have a nice evening with Kit?' Her brown eyes frowned as she surveyed Leigh's pale face. 'Hey, you look terrible ... don't tell me Kit got out of hand?'

  Matt stood in the doorway behind Barbara, his grey eves on Leigh's face as she answered in confusion. 'No, of course not. I... I've got a headache, that's all.'

  As she finished speaking Matt moved towards her 6=sk. 'Find the Blatchford files, Miss West, and bring them through to my office, will you? Barbara, find some aspirin and coffee for Miss West.' He turned to go, halted. 'By the way, I've got a working lunch in the boardroom today. Miss West can sit in to take notes. You can skip it, Barbara.'

  'Thank you,' Barbara said gratefully, adding, 'Guest list. Matt?'

  'There'll be eight of us,' he said. 'Just myself, Miss West and the editors. It's a policy discussion. I want the European diary scratched it's getting too thin. The main target will be the business pages, though. They're as compelling to read as the labels on jam jars.'

  'Have you notified the kitchens?' Barbara asked.

  He nodded. '1 spoke to the supervisor last night. He said he'd throw a meal together.'

  When he had gone, Barbara grimaced. 'Knowing our kitchens, those words have a prophetic ring!'

  Leigh laughed. 'I thought they pulled out all the stops for the board room meals.'

  'If given good notice, they do,' said Barbara. 'Still, as it's only the editors that doesn't matter.'

  Leigh laughed. 'They don't count?'

  'They only work here,' Barbara said grimly. 'If it was the board of directors the story would be different.'

  Leigh glanced at her obliquely. 'Talking about the board of directors, Cathy Lord arrived last night just as I was leaving.'

  Barbara grimaced. 'Oh, you met Miss World, did you?'

  Leigh's eyes filled with amusement, is that what you call her?'

  'That's how she behaves,' Barbara retorted. 'Ever since she left finishing school she's been hanging around here trying to get Matt to notice her, and her airs and graces get on my nerves.' Her eyes sparkled angrily. 'She actually tried to insinuate that there was something between Matt and me. I soon told her to jump in a lake!'

  'She's very possessive, is she?' Leigh asked casually, finding the file Matt had asked for and withdrawing it from the cabinet.

  'Possessive?' Barbara made a face. 'Do you know, there was a pretty kid in the typing pool who had the most appalling crush on Matt for months. Once or twice he made the mistake of talking to her as if she was human. It sounds hard, but it can be fatal for someone like him. One night she worked like a slave for him for hours, so Matt took her out to dinner, bought her some flowers ... you know, a gesture of appreciation. He always notices when people work very hard for him. Anyway, Cathy Lord noticed this kid mooning over him, and she kicked up a terrible scene with her darling daddy present.

  Matt tried to smooth it all over, but the kid had a brainstorm and came in and made a big scene with him too ... I think he'd
had enough by then. He got the girl another job in the organisation as far away from him as possible.'

  Leigh's eyes were as cold and brilliant as diamonds as she listened. 'Poor kid,' she said coolly, when Barbara had finished speaking.

  'I was sorry for her,' Barbara said, shrugging. 'So was Matt. He asked me to speak to her.' A little grin crossed her face. 'I think he found it very embarrassing, and he didn't want to hurt the girl. I tried to talk to her, but she was obsessed. In the end Matt had to cut her out of the picture.'

  'Yes,' said Leigh, although the monosyllable was stiffly uttered through cold lips. 'I'd better take this file through.'

  'Oh, lord, I forgot your coffee and aspirin!' Barbara exclaimed. 'I'm forgetting everything these days.' She smiled. 'I'll rush and get them now and bring them through to Matt's office. I expect he'd like some coffee too.'

  Leigh walked into Matt's office and found him dictating into his audio machine. He switched off after a final sentence, and looked at her, his eyes shrewd.

  'You look like a ghost,' he said. 'No sleep, Leigh?'

  She sat down, placing the file on his desk. 'The file you asked for, Mr. Hume.'

  He leaned back, his fingertips on the edge of his desk, swivelling in his chair, his eyes examining her face.

  'Come to any conclusions?' he asked.

  'About what?'

  'You know what I'm talking about,' he said tersely.

  She looked up and met his eyes coldly. 'I came to the conclusion that I'm here to work as your secretary. If there's nothing else you want me to do now I'll go back and get on with learning my way through the filing system.'

  His mouth tightened. 'Very well, Leigh,' he shrugged. 'I can play a waiting game.'

  For a few seconds confusion shifted over her face, then she smoothed out the expression, her eyes lowering to her hands. 'If that was all. Mr. Hume?'

  'Not quite,' he snapped. 'I've an appointment at ten with the working committee from the print unions. You can take notes.'

  'Yes, Mr. Hume,' she said politely.

  As she rose he gave her a grim smile. 'My stamina is better than yours, Leigh. I hope you're prepared for a long siege.'