‘I may not have met you if I hadn’t.’
‘And I’m sure you would have been devastated.’ She admired the way he handled the car, going fast but always in complete control of the vehicle, not a movement wasted.
He gave a grin and she was amazed at how much less forbidding it made him, and younger, much younger. But then he couldn’t be all that old, mid thirties at most. ‘I doubt I would have been devastated, a little disappointed, maybe, but nothing so extreme as devastation. I’ve seen you before, of course.’
Her brown eyes widened. ‘You have?’
‘Mm,’ he looked thoughtful, his strong tanned hands manoeuvring the car without need for concentration, almost as if the vehicle were a part of the man himself. ‘Usually on the news, getting on or off a plane with James,’ he continued. ‘It’s amazing we’ve never met before.’
Kate looked uninterestedly out of the window. ‘Amazing isn’t quite the word I would use.’
‘I should think lucky fits in more with your idea of things.’ He glanced sideways at her. ‘James must want this part pretty badly to allow me to walk off with his girl.’
‘I’m not his girl!’ she snapped.
‘You’re hardly more than that. Eighteen years of age!’ he said with disgust.
‘Nearly nineteen,’ she put in resentfully.
‘How nearly nineteen?’
‘Well, I—In eight months’ time!’
‘Like I said, eighteen years of age. And already you have someone like James St Just in love with you. You have me intrigued too, if that’s any consolation to you.’
‘It isn’t,’ she said firmly.
‘Look, kid, the James St Justs of this world will only use you. You’d be better off, with people of your own age, people who don’t want you for what they can get.’
She glared at him angrily. ‘Is that why I’ve been forced to come with you?’
‘I didn’t force you. If there was any forcing done it was by James. I merely requested that you come with me.’
‘Requested!’ she scoffed. ‘You blackmailed me.’
His green eyes narrowed. ‘And how did I do that?’
‘You—you threatened me.’
‘I did no such thing,’ he denied mildly.
‘Well, you threatened James, then,’ she blustered. ‘You more or less said that if I didn’t accompany you to this party you’d give the part to Matt Strange, the part James wants.’
‘My dear girl—–’
‘I’m not your dear anything,’ she interrupted.
‘My dear girl,’ he continued as though she hadn’t rudely interrupted him, ‘if I intended giving Matt Strange that part then believe me he’d get it, no matter what bribe James put in front of me. Even if you are the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in years.’
‘Then you don’t intend giving Matt Strange the part?’
He shook his head. ‘No, James is definitely right for it, he knows it and I know it.’
‘Then why—–’
‘Why the supposed indecision?’ he finished for her. ‘I never believe in letting my actors become too sure of themselves, and a little healthy competition does them no harm at all.’
‘So you’ve already decided to give James the part?’ she demanded, a feeling of indignation beginning to well up inside her.
Damien Savage nodded. ‘That’s right.’
‘So I have no need to be here really?’ Her fiery temper was definitely beginning to take over now.
The look in his eyes could only be described as intimate. ‘I wouldn’t say that.’
‘Well, I would!’ Kate turned fully in her seat to glare at him. ‘You have a damned nerve! You’re like a puppeteer, you pull the strings and everyone moves as you tell them to. I don’t like you, Mr Savage, I don’t like you at all.’
‘I know,’ he admitted calmly. ‘I think that’s half your attraction to me.’
‘I don’t want you to find me attractive. I—–’ She suddenly noticed that he had pulled the car to a halt. She looked about her dazedly. This was an apartment block, but it certainly wasn’t where she and James had their apartment. ‘Where are we?’
He was already getting out of the car. ‘At my apartment.’ He came round to open the door for her.
‘But I—– You said you’d drop me off at James’!’ she accused.
‘So I did,’ he taunted. ‘But you didn’t honestly believe I would, did you? Let’s go,’ he continued. ‘I promise not to look while you change.’
KATE hung back, glaring at him indignantly. ‘I know you won’t look while I change, because I’m not changing anywhere near you. I’m not going anywhere near your apartment either. I’m not completely naïve!’
Damien Savage looked down his haughty nose at her. ‘And I’m not going to suddenly leap on you as soon as the door is closed behind us. I have more finesse than that.’
‘I can imagine,’ Kate returned dryly.
‘I’m sure you can, little girls like you often have vivid imaginations. Don’t be such a coward, Kate!’ he snapped. ‘What harm can it do you to come up with me, take a shower, change, and then go on to a party?’
Put like that it sounded quite innocent, but how could she be sure it would be with a man of his reputation? ‘I—I’m not sure,’ she looked at him uncertainly.
Damien was no longer looking at her but had turned his attention to the man who had left the apartment building at their arrival. ‘Good evening, Barry,’ he greeted the man, handing over his car keys. ‘I’ll be needing it again about eight-thirty.’
‘Right, Mr Savage,’ the younger man smiled.
Damien Savage raised a taunting eyebrow at Kate as she still sat inside the car. ‘Ready?’ he asked softly.
He left her no choice but to follow him, which she did with ill grace. She fumed silently all the way up in the lift, hardly aware of her surroundings, except to note absently that they were plush and obviously the height of luxury. She would still have liked to refuse to come up here with this man but had baulked at causing a scene in front of the other man. As he had known she would!
The lift doors opened directly into the penthouse apartment and Damien Savage stepped out into the luxurious interior, waiting only fleetingly for Kate to follow him. He led the way silently into the lounge, moving forward to switch on the stereo before turning to face her.
The music that pervaded the room was soothingly melodious and not jarringly obvious as most music seemed to be nowadays. In fact the whole room was decorated for comfort and not for fashion, and it instantly found favour in Kate’s eyes. A three-piece suite in deep brown leather stood before the mock fireplace, a deep-pile cream carpet adding to the warmth and relaxation of the room, an antique mahogany dresser and stereo unit completed the furnishings.
Damien Savage was watching the play of emotions across her expressive face. ‘I take it my home meets with your approval?’
‘It’s—it’s very nice,’ she replied awkwardly.
‘But not what you expected,’ he