“There’s you,” he said slowly. “Of course, according to the gossip columns, I meet a new woman most days.”
“We don’t have a relationship,” Hayley said sharply.
“But we could.”
“We’ve only just met. I don’t intend to be cannon fodder for the press.”
“But don’t you believe in love at first sight?” he asked.
Something about his still body told her the answer was important to him. She thought about it and gave him an honest answer. “No, I don’t. I like to get to know a person slowly.” After all, that’s what her parents had drummed into her after her big mistake.
“Hmm,” he said, brushing his hand across his cheek. “I suppose going slowly might work, but sometimes fast and furious is good.”
Hayley glanced back down at his cup, unable to look at him for a second longer. Of course, the conversation had leapt back to sex. She wanted to say fast and furious wasn’t good, not if the woman ended up pregnant. Then, all hell broke loose. Lives were irrevocably changed. Innocence lost. Hayley ignored his comment and went back to the reading. “A mushroom means you should allow the relationship to develop at its own pace. No rushing or forcing it. Which would probably mean keeping away from the public spotlight.”
“Are you sure that’s what it means?”
“I assure you, I don’t make up readings,” Hayley snapped. “I’m a professional.” A professional liar, her conscience prompted. And he didn’t like liars…
Sam leaned forward to study the interior of his cup. “Anything else?”
“Well you have a rainbow or three-quarters of one.”
“And that’s good?”
Hayley bit down on her bottom lip, honesty propelling her to tell the truth, or as much as she could as it related to the reading. “A rainbow means that a cherished wish will come true.”
“Ah, so I’ll find my mystery lover.” Satisfaction coated his voice, sending a rush of alarm through her.
“It’s not quite that simple,” Hayley said, her agitation growing. She couldn’t believe she was encouraging him when it might mean her secret shame coming out into the open. “You’ll have to take an active part in making the wish come true.”
Sam leaned back in his chair and drummed the tabletop with his fingers. “An active part, huh?”
“That’s right.” Hayley froze seeing the confident smile blooming on his sensual lips. She sucked in a hasty breath, her stomach cinching tight. The beginnings of panic started to riot inside. The man didn’t need encouragement.
The smile turned into a smirk, reflecting in his dark bad-boy eyes. “I asked around to find out if anyone knew her, but struck out. But what I can do is put an advertisement in the paper.”
“An advertisement?” she asked faintly. Suzie hadn’t told. That was good news, wasn’t it?
“Excuse me.” A representative from the hotel hovered behind Sam. “I believe you’re the person to see about the supper arrangements? We need to make some last-minute changes and I want to run them past you.”
“Business calls,” Sam said, standing smoothly. He strode after the woman, leaving Hayley staring after him with shock still ricocheting through her. An ad in the newspaper. It might be all right, as long as he didn’t mention her charm bracelet. Both her mother and father read the daily newspapers from cover to cover. They’d notice the mention of the charm bracelet. They’d also notice hers was missing and she could imagine their reactions, their pointed questions. Past history would surface. It would be her eighteenth birthday all over again. Somehow she had to persuade Sam to forget his brilliant idea in favor of something else. Or perhaps she could seduce him…
Oh, boy! Trouble. It just followed her around. Hayley shook her head in disgust, because she hadn’t just chosen a bad boy, but one who lived in the public spotlight. Way to go!
Two more days of conference and she’d never need to see Sam or face temptation again. Yeah, that’s what she’d do—stay out of his way. Suzie would be in charge again tomorrow, so it wouldn’t be difficult to avoid the man who tempted her more than any other.
Chapter Five
Sam couldn’t keep his eyes off Harriet. Her curly brown hair flowed loosely around her shoulders and down her back. Her scarlet skirt swished around toned legs showcased in high heels. Last night he’d told himself it was all Helen, and maybe his parents were right, as much as he hated to admit it. But this morning Harriet snagged his attention and stirred sexual fantasies. Sam hurriedly thought of frigid water pouring down over his naked body, but one quick glance in Harriet’s direction sent his control on holiday.
His feet took him over to her without his express permission. Another part of his body turned unruly and disobedient. For an instant, he watched her, the deft graceful movements of her body when she bent over to restock the teacart supplies. His eyes drifted over her heart-shaped bottom outlined by the fluid fabric of her skirt and up over her hips and waist. When she turned, he saw the black and white fabric of today’s blouse clinging to her breasts. No doubt she’d attract every male in the vicinity.
Her brown eyes widened when she saw him. She stumbled and dropped a cup and saucer. The cup survived the fall, but the saucer broke into four pieces when it bounced off the edge of the wooden sideboard. He’d say one thing. She was hell on saucers.
“Don’t sneak up on me like that,” she snapped, stooping to pick up the pieces.
“Careful, don’t cut yourself.”
“I won’t cut—ouch!”
Sam saw the bead of blood on her finger and made a tsking sound. “I told you not to cut yourself. Let me look.”
Harriet inspected it before she shoved her finger into her mouth and sucked on it. Sam went hot all over, alternately wishing he’d wrapped his mouth around her finger and wanting his finger in the warmth of her mouth. Briefly he worried about his sanity in lusting after two different women, since in the past he’d stuck to one woman at a time. He shoved the thought aside and grabbed a clean hanky from his pocket.
“Harriet, please let me take a look at your finger.” They stared at each other for a long moment before she acquiesced. Slowly she withdrew her finger, leaving her lips moist and glossy, a soft red. Up this close, he noticed the golden streaks in her eyes and the dark pupils. Sam grasped her hand gently, surprised at the slight tremble. He didn’t like the idea of her being frightened of him. Nah, couldn’t be. He tightened his grip on her hand, mind racing. The only other reason for the tremor gave him hope. Her sharp intake of breath confirmed his hypothesis. She felt the same electrical jolt he did whenever they came in close proximity. That he could feel the same reaction for two women gave him pause. Maybe his sisters were right and he’d turned into a serial dater out of self-defense. His stubborn nature stopped him from believing there was one woman for him and he’d fall for her the second he saw her. Apart from one faint blip, he’d managed to get to twenty-eight without succumbing, and family history wasn’t about to influence his love life.
“See, it’s not that bad.”
Her words dragged him back to reality and the fragile feel of her hand in his larger one. The small cut still bled sluggishly. “I’ll get you a plaster.”
Instead of being grateful, she glared at him. “What are you doing here? Where’s Suzie?”
“A thank you would suffice.”
A faint frown marred her forehead before it smoothed away. His fingers itched to touch, to feel if her cheek was as soft as it looked. He’d follow with his lips, dusting kisses across her eyelids and trailing a line down toward her plump, luscious mouth. And that would be for starters…
“I’m old enough to manage a small cut all on my own, but thank you for the offer of a sticking plaster. I don’t have any of those on hand. Where’s Suzie?”
“Suzie should be at the doctor’s surgery. She rang in sick. I’m taking over the conference for her since I’m familiar with the program,” Sam said, trying to concentrate on her question instead of letting himse
lf drift toward the sexual. A sexy décolletage attracted his attention until her irritated cough grabbed it back. Smiling inwardly, he admitted he wasn’t doing such a great job so far in keeping things businesslike. “Why? Is there a problem?” Sam didn’t understand much of her low muttering, but he gathered it related to men. His mouth quirked in the beginnings of a grin, but he squelched it, sensing he’d do himself a disservice if he gave his humor free rein.
“Will Suzie be in tomorrow?”
“I don’t think so.” Was that an air of desperation in her voice?
“Where is she? She isn’t at home.”
“She’s at the doctor’s.” He watched her closely, her reaction bringing a sense of accomplishment. She returned his interest. It wasn’t his fevered imagination.
Harriet took a deep breath, the swell of her breasts making him still. “I know she’s at the doctor’s at the moment, but she wasn’t at home earlier.”
Puzzled, Sam asked, “How do you know?” It wasn’t their normal practice to give out home phone numbers. Unless she’d called Suzie’s cell phone? Then he remembered Suzie had used her boyfriend’s phone because the battery had died on hers.
Harriet’s teeth clamped down on her bottom lip. “I know Suzie quite well,” she blurted. “She’s part of the reason I agreed to do the conference.”
“Oh?”
“Never mind,” Harriet said hastily. “You said you’d get me a plaster. I don’t want to bleed over all the supplies.”
“Of course,” Sam said, his mind working at warp speed. The first chance he had he’d question Suzie about Harriet. There was something about this woman that called to him, and he was determined she wouldn’t do a Cinderella act on him, not like Helen.
Thinking about Helen made him frown. He’d taken another look at the charm bracelet and had decided it was quite valuable. Surely Helen would have realized she’d lost it at his apartment? Why hadn’t she dropped by to collect it? He wasn’t an ogre. If she really didn’t want to pursue a relationship, he’d let her go, albeit with regret. If she hadn’t contacted him by the time the conference wound up, he’d place an ad in the lost and found section of the paper. One way or the other, he’d find Helen again.
Hayley pressed both hands over her eyes and willed away her tiredness. Sleep had eluded her last night. Instead she’d drifted from one erotic dream to another, all of them staring the wretched playboy, Sam Norville. Unfortunately, she had real memories to add to the pot and once she’d added in a touch of imagination, she’d produced dreams to end all dreams. Seeing him in the flesh this morning had brought every delicate touch, each sensual stroke of fingers and lips back in bright Technicolor. Oh, boy. And when he’d held her hand in his, she thought she might implode with the surge of arousal zapping from her head to her toes and the areas in between.
“Did you need anything before I check on the morning tea setup?” Sam asked.
Hayley started, her stomach dive-bombing toward her toes upon hearing his voice. She whirled around to glare at him. “Stop creeping up on me. Every time I turn around you’re there.”
He cocked his head, a twinkle in his bad-boy eyes. “Maybe I want to get to know you better.”
“Scaring me half to death isn’t leaving a good impression.” But continual glimpses of his sexy body were shoving at her resolve. “If you want to get to know me better, please do it in a normal way,” she snapped, her temper ruffled by the insidious longing that ate at her.
Sam grinned, an intriguing dimple appearing on the left side of his mouth. “And here I thought creativity and originality would get me ahead.”
Hayley merely shook her head, not in answer to his statement, but more an internal reminder not to touch. His dimple was so cute, so damned sexy and enticing. Her fingers fair itched to touch.
“No?” He dragged a hand through his hair and mock frowned at her. “Looks like I’ll have to do this the normal way. Will you come out for a drink with me tonight?”
“I’m working,” she said promptly.
“Funny. So am I. We’ll make a date for the following night. Where will I pick you up?”
Panic rioted within Hayley. He couldn’t come to the flat, because he’d learn everything. “I’ll meet you there.” Blast. It would have been better to say she was involved with someone else. So why hadn’t she? Hayley snorted inwardly. Easy answer—she was a fool.
“Ah, so you agree to a date. That was easier than I thought.”
Yep, too easy. Hayley realized she’d fallen into a trap. His trap. “No, that’s not what I said at all.”
“Too late, Harriet. You’ve agreed to a date. How do you feel about Italian? Topo Gigo in Piccadilly at seven.”
“But I—”
“It’s a date,” he said softly. He glanced over his shoulder and turned back to study her intently. “Let’s shake on it.”
The intense glint in his eyes made her take an abrupt step back. She stared down at his hand when he extended it. To stop him moving closer, she thrust out hers. He grasped it, warmth hitting her instantly. Her heart sped up into a racy beat. It was like handling a live wire. A short, sharp burst of sensation. Hayley tried to pull away, but he grasped her hand firmly, pulling her inexorably to him. Her breasts brushed his navy polo shirt. He cupped her face, strong fingers lifting her chin and seconds later, his mouth covered hers. She gasped and he took advantage, slipping his tongue inside. Hayley froze, his lips more persuasive than she wanted. His tongue stroked against hers, and their lips moved together. His hands wrapped around her, fitting her to his body. Warmth surged from each point of contact, her worries about being with this man fading under his determined caresses. Finally he pulled away.
“I don’t think dinner is a good idea,” she said weakly.
“Why? We both need to eat. Are you sure I can’t pick you up? Where do you live?”
“No, I’ll meet you at the Bunch of Grapes,” she said, naming a pub in Knightsbridge, and neatly dodging his questions. It was a place she and Suzie often visited, and the first location that popped into her mind. She felt at home there. Besides, she wouldn’t suffer quite the same discomfort as she would while waiting in an unfamiliar restaurant, wondering if he’d turn up.
“Okay. Six-thirty.” Sam lifted his head, his eyes still gleaming. With a smile, he pressed a quick kiss to the tip of her nose. “I’d better get to work. Suzie was most insistent on me doing a good job, but I’m looking forward to tomorrow night.” With that, he strode from the room, leaving her staring after him in consternation.
“Weak,” she muttered. “Weak and stupid.” Hayley switched on the urn of hot water and prepared several teapots ready to fill with water. Her helper arrived and together they set out two dozen cups and saucers.
Suzie had told her they’d arranged four different sessions to run concurrently and staggered them for meal breaks. The first session let out fifteen minutes later, keeping both Hayley and her helper busy with readings and lots of questions. To her surprise, she had several requests to do readings at private parties. In bemusement, she accepted business cards from three women and two men. If only they knew. Her first foray into the world of Madam Deveraux had happened by mistake when the normal reader had fallen sick. Suzie’s mother, desperate to find a replacement fortune teller for the fete she’d organized, had practically forced her into the fray and she’d been reading teacups ever since. To her surprise, the money was good, the tips from delighted customers even better. Her bank balance grew in tandem with her skill, or so Suzie said. Soon she’d have a flat of her own. Security. She’d be able to prove to her parents that impulsiveness didn’t make her a loose cannon. Being impetuous and spontaneous wasn’t a bad thing, and she was quite capable, as capable as her sister.
Sam purposely stayed away from Harriet for as long as he could. When his willpower finally dissipated, he strode down the hotel corridors, heading for the conference room where Harriet was doing her readings. The feedback had been excellent and, despite his initial
reservations, he was glad he’d let Suzie convince him to hire her.
A burst of laughter came from the conference room. His steps slowed and he hovered in the doorway, watching the group of hotel staff clustered around Harriet. The women treated her like a friend while the men watched her with a mixture of lust and anticipation. Sam scowled, the surge of jealousy almost blindsiding him. His attention strayed to Harriet. He watched the absorbed way she peered into the teacup, her glance at the young male sitting opposite her and the way her lips curled up into a slow smile. Sam couldn’t tear his eyes away.
Then she laughed. He froze in place, halting at the edge of the group surrounding Harriet. He’d heard that exact laugh before and, combined with the full lips and the angle of her head, his mind finally added all the clues together. His breath exited in a harsh exhalation, a surge of adrenaline telling him to seize her and rush from the room, dragging her with him to demand the truth. But he didn’t. He took a deep breath and looked at her again in light of the new information. Now that he knew, he realized he hadn’t let himself look beneath the surface.
Helen.
He wasn’t going crazy or lusting after two different women at the same time. A relief, because he hadn’t liked the idea of being torn between two women. He wasn’t a cheater. But the question was why had she lied to him? Why hadn’t she said they’d met before? He waited for anger and righteous indignation, but it didn’t come. Instead, Sam felt acute anticipation. He looked forward to getting to know Harriet/Helen a lot better, and couldn’t wait for their date tomorrow night.
Chapter Six
“I placed an advertisement in the paper,” Sam said.
Hayley huddled on the far side of the black taxi cab, but still Sam managed to touch her. Their thighs brushed and she felt the flex of his muscles each time the cab negotiated a corner.
“An ad?” Hayley’s mind dwelled on getting through the night still fully sane.
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