Regency Betrayal. Julia Justiss

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СКАЧАТЬ ignored his jibe, having already taken too much of a battering for one evening. ‘Will Lis——Alicia be there?’ she persisted as they entered the ultra-modern building with several other couples, who Andrew greeted as they all stepped into the lift together, making no effort to introduce her.

      ‘Of course,’ Andrew muttered tersely, not even looking down at her. ‘She's Sinclair's secretary. Always go to the top, I say,’ he added crudely.

      Jessica felt ill, recoiling as they stepped out on to the eighth floor, the noise from the party already under way filling her with dread. She never appeared well at these sort of functions, her basic shyness holding her back from joining in the merriment, although sometimes she wished this weren't so, wished she could be the sort of woman that men were attracted to.

      ‘I have to go to the powder-room,’ she told Andrew in a whisper.

      He sighed heavily. ‘Down the corridor,’ he instructed curtly. ‘Second door on the left.’ He turned in the direction of the party.

      ‘Andrew!’ she called in a panicked voice, already selfconscious as several of Andrew's work colleagues stared at her curiously. No doubt every single one of them knew of his affairs, especially this latest one with the boss's secretary. Andrew liked to boast of his conquests.

      ‘Yes?’ His patience, what there was of it, was wearing very thin.

      ‘I——My jacket,’ she said lamely.

      He wasn't exactly gentle as he helped her off with it. ‘And don't be long,’ he ordered.

      ‘You'll wait for me?’ she asked anxiously.

      ‘I'll meet you inside.’

      Jessica looked into the darkened room, the noise from the live music and chattering people suddenly seeming louder to her. ‘But I won't be able to find you in there,’ she said in dismay.

      ‘Then I'll find you,’ he dismissed. ‘And for God's sake hurry up, Jessica. I want to introduce you to Sinclair.’

      There was no point in arguing further, Andrew would only do what he wanted to do in the end, so she made her way down the badly lit corridor, blinking back her tears. God, she was tearful tonight! Andrew had said much worse things to her in the past and she hadn't even flinched. But tonight she was feeling particularly vulnerable, especially with Andrew's mention of divorce. Could he really be serious about Alicia?

      She knew almost immediately that she had entered the wrong room, the overhead fluorescent lighting showing this to be an office, the teak desk cleared of all work, the swivel-chair behind the desk turned towards the window. The view of the surrounding countryside had a beauty of its own from this height, and she spent a minute or so drinking in the peace and tranquillity, finally turning to go in search of the powder-room.

      ‘Don't go.’

      Jessica froze, slowly turning in the direction of that silky voice. The swivel-chair had been spun round to reveal a man, a ruggedly handsome man who was looking at her with open admiration, a man of perhaps thirty-five or thirty-six.

      Tawny eyes were narrowed appreciatively, the hair a deep burnished gold, worn rather long, his skin deeply tanned, as if he had recently been on holiday. Beneath the tawny eyes the nose jutted out slightly aquiline, his mouth curved into a smile, sensually so. As he stood up, easily over six feet, a good foot taller than her own meagre height, Jessica could see how well the white dinner jacket fitted across his powerful shoulders, tapering to a narrow waist, and muscular thighs clearly outlined in the black tailored trousers he wore. He was tall, and powerful, and he made her feel uneasy.

      The way he was looking at her now made her blush, every inch of her having known the fire of his gaze. ‘I——I'm sorry,’ she stuttered. ‘I was looking for—I came in the wrong door.’ Hot colour flooded her cheeks.

      His smile deepened to humour, his teeth very white against his tan. ‘The ladies’ room is next door,’ he drawled.

      ‘Er——yes.’ She turned to go.

      ‘Stay,’ he repeated his earlier request.

      Her lids flickered up in surprise, her lashes long and dark, tipped with gold. ‘The dance …’

      ‘Can get along without us very well for a few minutes.’ He took her arm, steering her over to the swivel-chair he had just vacated. ‘I wonder who you belong to,’ he muttered almost to himself.

      ‘I don't belong to anyone,’ Jessica surprised herself by snapping at him.

      ‘Good,’ he smiled. ‘Because I think I'd like you to belong to me.’

      She struggled to get out of the chair, but found her way blocked by his powerful frame as he sat on the desk in front of her, his legs either side of her stopping her turning the chair.

      ‘Will you let me go, Mr——’

      ‘Matthew,’ he murmured softly, gently touching the silver of her hair. ‘Just Matthew.’

      She squirmed away from him. ‘Don't do that!’ Two spots of angry colour darkened her cheeks.

      ‘Why not?’ His hand didn't move away from her, caressing her cheek now. ‘Your name—what's your name?’ he demanded impatiently.

      ‘Jessica. But——’

      ‘Not Jess? I hope not, because I don't like names to be abbreviated.’ He made this comment as if he expected his likes and dislikes to matter to her.

      Well, they didn't And neither did he. ‘If you'll excuse me …’ She tried to brush past him, but he wouldn't let her go.

      ‘I can't do that, Jessica,’ he said the name with enjoyment, savouring every syllable. ‘Mm, it suits you. My lovely Jessica.’ His tawny eyes held her captive. ‘I was sitting in that chair wondering how I was going to get through the evening when I looked up and saw your reflection in the window. Do you have any idea how lovely you are?’

      ‘If you're the office Romeo——’

      ‘Oh, not me, Jessica,’ he smiled, his hands on the arm of the chair pinning her back against the leather. ‘That's Baxter's prerogative.’

      Andrew! Oh God, everyone did know about his affairs, including this man! The two of them could even work together, and this man Matthew would probably enjoy telling Andrew how he had frightened his wife half to death. Andrew would never forgive her if this man should even guess at their sterile relationship.

      ‘I've heard he's a flirt,’ she said lightly, doing her best not to panic. She would just sit this out, he was bound to tire of teasing her soon.

      ‘He is. But I don't want to talk about him,’ Matthew dismissed. ‘Will you promise the rest of the evening to me?’

      Jessica gasped. ‘Of course not!’

      ‘You have to!’ His hands gripped hers, his expression intent. ‘Jessica, I'd just about given up on you.’

      ‘But I've never met you before!’

      ‘If you had I wouldn't have been feeling so despondent СКАЧАТЬ