by Miranda Lee
In a way, they were both loners. Both self-sufficient.
Occasionally, she brought the topic of conversation back to his writing. But Jack managed to steer her away from further discussion of his books, or his so-called hero.
Jack didn’t want to think about Hal too much tonight. Hal could sometimes be bad for him. He appealed to his dark side. It was difficult enough ignoring the sexual thoughts and feelings Lisa could so easily evoke without Hal getting into his head, tempting him with truly wicked ideas.
Wouldtwo million tempt her to sleep with him?Five? Ten?
Jack clenched his jaw-line, then concentrated on keeping their casual conversation going, forcing himself not to fall broodingly silent as he could do on occasion when his thoughts turned dark. Which they were on the verge of doing every time he glanced over at Lisa.
Damn, but he wanted her!
His body was rock-hard with desire, his resolve to have her threatening to turn more ruthless with each passing minute.
‘Not far to go now,’ he said with some relief as they approached the harbour bridge. Best get out of this confining car and into somewhere public.
The traffic was a bit heavy across the bridge, but moving along steadily. Jack knew where he was going, taking the correct lanes and exit to whiz them down to the harbourside restaurant where the awards dinner was being held. Thankfully the restaurant had a private car park, reserved for patrons, an attendant swiftly directing them to a spot just metres from the entrance.
‘I’d better warn you about Helene before you meet her,’ he said as he extracted his car keys.
‘Helene? Who’s Helene?’ Lisa asked.
‘My agent. She’s a darling woman underneath her tough-bird exterior. But she does have a big mouth. Puts her foot into it occasionally. She’s also going through a gypsy-cum-gothic stage in her wardrobe, which can be a bit startling. If she’d dressed me tonight I’d have been wearing black leather trousers, with a full-sleeved white silk shirt, topped off with a scarlet cummerbund. I’d have looked like a camp pirate from the Caribbean.’
Lisa laughed, her lovely blue eyes sparkling with amusement. ‘If there’s one thing you could never look, Jack, it’s camp. But I’m glad this Helene didn’t dress you tonight. What you’re wearing is superb. That suit must have cost a small fortune.’
‘It did. And I would think that little number you have on didn’t come cheap. I wish you’d let me pay for it, Lisa. You shouldn’t be out of pocket because you did me the favour of being my pretend girlfriend for the night.’
CHAPTER NINE
LISAfound herself piqued by that word,pretend .
Yet she should have been reassured.
So why wasn’t she?
Female vanity, she supposed. Or was it something else, that faint hope she’d been harbouring that at last she was becoming a normal woman, sexually?
During the drive down, that startling incident with her nipples had stayed at the back of her mind, as had the heat which Jack had generated in her when he’d taken her arm. Despite finally relaxing in his company and enjoying their conversation very much, she’d begun secretly hoping that hewould make a pass when he brought her home, just to see how she would react.
The word ‘pretend’ indicated that Jack wasn’t about to try anything. His insistence that she come and clean his study had not been a sign of personal interest. He just wanted his study cleaned. He didn’t fancy her one bit.
Lisa wished now she’d accepted his offer to pay her double.
Paying for her dress, however, was still out of the question.
‘Don’t start that again, Jack,’ she said with a cool glance his way.
The trouble with practised womanisers, she decided, was that women fell easily for their superficial charms.
When Jack came round to open the passenger door and reach his hand down towards her, Lisa smothered a groan of dismay.
There really was no option but to accept his help. Still, Lisa delayed as long as possible, swinging her feet out of the car first, her bag clutched tightly in her left hand. Finally, she put her clammy right hand into his outstretched palm, plastering a plastic smile on her face as she glanced up into his.
‘Thank you,’ she said with stiff politeness whilst her heart hammered away behind her ribs.
‘My pleasure,’ he returned, his fingers closing tightly around hers as he pulled her up onto her feet.
Lisa had a few seconds of respite when he dropped her hand and attended to locking up the car. But no sooner had she managed to calm her pulse rate a little than he slid his arm around her waist.
Naturally, she froze.
‘Don’t panic,’ he murmured. ‘Just window-dressing.’
Just window-dressing, Lisa thought almost bitterly as he propelled her towards the restaurant door. What an apt phrase to describe her! For years she’d acted like a mannequin, designed and dressed to look attractive, but not a flesh and blood woman.
No wonder Jack didn’t fancy her.
‘Jack! Jack!’
The owner of the voice came rushing over to them, a tall, skinny, black-haired woman dressed in the weirdest black clothes. There were lots of layers and beads, and her make-up was extremely pale and heavy, except for her bright red lipstick. Once closer, Lisa could see she was at least in her fifties.
‘Helene,’ Jack muttered under his breath. ‘Have patience.’
‘So!’ The agent’s beady black eyes glittered as she looked Lisa up and down. ‘I knew you wouldn’t come alone. Not Jack Cassidy.’
‘I decided it wasn’t wise to go into the lion’s den without a shield by my side,’ he said drily.
Helene cackled. ‘It’s a bit like that with you at these dos, isn’t it? You’re a brave woman, love,’ she directed at Lisa. ‘Our Jack here gets swamped by fans wanting his autograph. And a lot more of him if they can get it,’ she added with a wicked wink.
‘I can imagine,’ Lisa replied somewhat ruefully.
Helene laughed. ‘Jack, do introduce me to this delightful creature.’
‘This delightful creature is Lisa, Helene. Lisa, this is Helene, my brilliant agent.’
‘Heavens to Betsy! A compliment as well as a classy girlfriend! My cup runneth over! Hello, my love,’ she directed at Lisa. ‘You’re going to wow them in the States. You are taking her with you next year, Jack. Don’t tell me you’re not or I’ll have a pink fit right here and now.’
‘I’d love to take her with me,’ Jack said, pulling Lisa even closer to his side. ‘But Lisa has a company to run and a son to raise. I don’t think she can get away for a trip to the States, can you, darling?’
Lisa knew it was just pretend. Just window-dressing. Especially the darling bit.
But from the moment Jack’s side pressed hard against hers, everything inside her began to go to mush.
‘I’ll have to see,’ she heard herself say whilst she struggled to stop the amazing meltdown which was currently threatening her entire body.
‘Make her go with you, Jack,’ Helene insisted.
‘I’m afraid I can’t make Lisa do anything she doesn’t want to do,’ he said with a wry laugh. ‘She’s very strong-willed.’
Lisa almost laughed as well. Rather hysterically.
‘Do what Hal did in your second book, Jack,’ Helene advised. ‘Kidnap the girl and keep her your prisoner till she says yes to everything you want.’
‘I just might do that. But first, shall we go inside? Helene, look after Lisa for me for a couple of minutes, will you?’
‘Will do,’ the agent replied. ‘Come along, lovely Lisa. We’ll go in and find our table. I did ask for one of the smaller ones, knowing Jack’s distaste for making idle conversation with people he cares nothing for. Hopefully, we’re not stuck in some ghastly corner.’
They weren’t stuck in some ghastly corner. There were no real corners, the main body of the restaurant being semicircular, with huge windows overlooking the harbour. They had, probably,the best table in the house
, very close to a window, with a great view of the bridgeand the opera house. The table itself was round, covered in a crisp white tablecloth with matching serviettes, extremely expensive crystal glasses and a most spectacular, candlelit centre-piece. The carpet underfoot was a deep blue, and the overhead lighting very subdued.
‘Golly,’ Lisa said in impressed tones after themaître d’ had departed. ‘This is a fabulous place.’
‘It’s OK. At least they took notice of what I asked for. Jack’s going to be pleased that it’s only us.’
‘But the table is set for four,’ Lisa pointed out.
Helene grinned. ‘I told them I had a partner.’
‘And you don’t?’
‘Lord, no! Who’d have me? I’m a selfish, opinionated, ambitious bitch. On top of that, I’m skinny and downright ugly. Always have been.’
‘You arenot ugly,’ Lisa protested. ‘You’re very striking-looking.’
Helene was still preening when Jack pulled out a chair and sat down.
‘I like your Lisa, Jack. Where did you meet her?’
Lisa held her breath, hoping he didn’t say she was his cleaner.
‘When I bought the penthouse at Terrigal, I employed a cleaner. Gail. Lisa owns the cleaning company Gail works for.’
‘Oh, so you’ve been going out for quite a while. My, but you’re a dark horse, Jack. You never mentioned her.’
‘Didn’t I?’
‘You know you didn’t.’
‘Lisa’s a very private girl, aren’t you, darling?’ And he leant over and gave her a light peck on her bare shoulder.
Lisa tried not to wince. Or to cry out loud. But as window-dressing went, this was a little too close to the bone, those same bones which had almost gone to jelly the last time he’d touched her and called her darling.
Her head turned and caught his eye just as his head lifted. She meant to flash him an icy warning. Instead, she just stared at him with dazed eyes.
He stared back for a long moment, then smiled, a slow, wickedly sexy smile.
Lisa swallowed, then somehow found a smile of her own.
‘Jack likes to tease me,’ she said through clenched teeth. ‘He knows how I hate displays of affection in public.’
‘Not true,’ Jack said. ‘She secretly loves it.’ And he kissed her shoulder again.
This time, Lisa’s skin broke out into goose-pimples.
‘Jack,please ,’ she choked out.
His head lifted and their eyes met once more. His were unreadable, whereas she knew hers had to be full of blind panic.
‘I…I have to go to the ladies’,’ she said with a strained smile as she got to her feet. ‘If you have to order anything whilst I’m gone, you do it for me, Jack, will you?’
Jack watched her go. Watched the other men in the place watch her go, too.
‘She’s very beautiful, Jack,’ Helene remarked. ‘Divorced?’
‘No, widowed.’
‘Really? So young! Still, it explains quite a bit. You know, Jack, nice girls like that don’t come along too often.’
‘No,’ Jack agreed.
‘Be good to her.’
Jack would have liked to be good to her, if she’d let him. But she wouldn’t. She made that clear at every turn. Yet he knew that shewas attracted to him, despite all her contrary body language. He’d seen the truth in her eyes just now.Felt it in her tensely held shoulder when he kissed it.
For whatever reason, she refused to surrender to that attraction. She was afraid.
Ofhim ? Jack wondered. Or of involvement of any kind?
‘Don’t let her get away,’ Helene added wryly.
He could, of course. Let her get away.
But Jack knew he wasn’t going to do that. He’d been spot-on when he’d said she secretly liked his kissing her shoulder. She had. And it had been his total undoing.
Next time, it wouldn’t be her shoulder he’d kiss. And next time, she’d wouldn’t find it so easy to escape.
‘Have you ordered any drinks yet?’ he asked Helene abruptly.
‘No, I was waiting for you.’
‘I think the occasion calls for champagne, don’t you?’ He snapped his fingers, a waiter materialising by his side in moments. ‘A magnum of your best champagne.’
‘Certainly, sir.’
‘A magnum!’ Helen exclaimed. ‘Thank heavens I came in a taxi!’
And thank heavens Lisa hadn’t, Jack thought with ruthless resolve. She’d come with him.
And she’d be going home with him.
He would not break his word tonight. But he would claim a kiss goodnight at her door.
A lot could be achieved with the right kind of kiss. Jack didn’t aim to stop till her eventual surrender was assured. By the time she returned to him on Tuesday on the pretext of cleaning his study, it would just be a matter of time.
Yes, indeed, he vowed darkly as he watched her weave her way through the tables back towards him, that floaty dress clinging to her body in several tantalising places. She was going to be his.
And soon.
CHAPTER TEN
LISAhad given herself a solid lecture in the ladies’ room, reminding herself sternly thatshe’d made the decision to come here this evening as Jack’s pretend girlfriend. It wasn’this fault that her hormones had suddenly come to life.
OK, so it had been a shock after all these years, to want a man the way she did Jack. And somewhat disappointing that he didn’t want her back. But that was life, wasn’t it? She was here now. The restaurant was lovely, the food and wine were sure to be excellent and so was the company. All she had to do was relax and enjoy herself.
An hour later, Lisa was doing just that. Amazing what a few glasses of champagne could achieve! She felt not one iota of tension. She’d become a totally different woman, tucking into her meal with gusto, not worrying over calories as she usually did. Not worrying over anything.
Conversation flowed easily from her lips whilst the champagne continued to flow past them. She even dared to flirt with Jack a little. And he flirted right back. Quite outrageously, really.
Lisa knew it was just an act. But she no longer cared. It was fun. He was fun. The evening was fun.
Whenever female fans sought him out—and after Jack won the Golden Gun award, there were quite a few of those—Jack made a big show of introducing her as his girlfriend, often giving her another of those provocative kisses, either on her shoulder or on her cheek. By then she’d long stopped freezing up, behaving in an almost cavalier way in her response to his attentions.
That she was seriously intoxicated did not cross Lisa’s mind. Nothing serious crossed her mind. She felt happy for once. Genuinely happy.
Or so she deluded herself.
Coffee arrived, as did some more female fans. Three of them, all carrying copies of Jack’s prize-winning book, all gushing over him as he signed them. Helene was, at that moment, away at another table, talking business to people she knew in the publishing world.
Jack went through his usual spiel of introducing Lisa as his girlfriend, this time picking up her hand and lifting it towards his mouth.
‘Isn’t she lovely?’ he said just before his lips made contact.
If his fans said anything in reply, Lisa didn’t hear it. Her focus was entirely on what Jack was doing to her hand. He wasn’t just kissing it. He was making love to it, his index finger stroking the soft skin of her palm whilst his mouth moved sensually over the back of her hand, his tongue-tip leaving a wet trail as it worked its way down her middle finger.
By the time he reached the fingertip, her skin had broken out into goose-pimples. When she went to pull her hand away, his hand tightened around hers, making it impossible for her to free herself without struggling. His lips parted over the tip, sucking it slightly into his mouth.
‘Jack,really ,’ she reprimanded, throwing a desperate smile at the goggle-eyed fans.
But all they did was swoon.
His head immediately lifted.
<
br /> ‘Yes, my darling?’ he enquired in a low, thickish voice.
He’d been calling her darling all evening. Up till this point, Lisa had accepted his endearment as part of the game. Part of the pretence. Suddenly, nothing felt like pretence. His eyes, usually so hard and so cool, had darkened to a smoky grey, his eyelids heavy with what looked like desire. If she wasn’t badly mistaken, he wanted to make love to her for real. And not just to her hand.
