The Party Girl's Invitation

by Karen Elaine Campbell

  Crystal looked out of the car window trying to see out into the pitch black, as the headlights from another vehicle crossed her windscreen. Who was this, out here, at this time of night? She quickly closed the laptop and removed it from sight, reaching for her paperback.

  Jazz stamped across the frozen car park and rapped on her window.

  Uh-oh, she was in trouble now. He’d only gone back to London this morning, why was he back here already?

  She put the book face down onto her lap and wound the window down an inch or two. Her heart jumped and adrenaline fizzed through her veins as she plastered a big welcoming smile all over her face. “Hi, problem at the works?”she asked, trying to sound relaxed.

  He scowled. “No, problem with freeloaders. Come on, out of the car, what have you been up to? What are you doing in there?”

  The laptop winked one solitary green light from the floor of the passenger seat, where she’d hastily deposited it. She nudged her elbow and dropped her cardi over it, simultaneously picking up her book and waving it at him through the glass. “Reading. I’m doing the night watch. Counting rabbits.”

  “Counting rabbits?”He was momentarily flummoxed. What for? She looked guilty as hell. It was freezing cold and ten o’clock at night, only an idiot would sit out here in their car and count rabbits. More specifically, he wasn’t standing here in these temperatures, having this conversation with Crystal now.

  “Move over a bit, no, open up the passenger door, I’m coming in, it’s too cold here to stand around talking nonsense.”He strode around to the other side of the car.

  Crystal blanched. If he got in that side of the car he’d stand on the laptop and then he’d work out what she was up to, to say nothing of his size ten’s all over her prize possession, she couldn’t afford to replace it and this was her only ‘hot spot’ for miles around.

  He rattled the door handle. He wasn’t about to be put off.

  In desperation, she turned off the engine and got out of her side of the car, high heels sliding on the frozen ground. She walked unsteadily around to the passenger side of the car. When he looked like he might dispute the point, she held up her hand. “I’m not letting you into my car at this time of night, thank-you. The last time I got in a car with you I got seriously mauled,” she stated quite bluntly, using her best bossy ‘event organizer’ voice.

  His eyebrows hit his hair line. “You got mauled?”He grinned, his teeth shining up brightly in the dim light from the reception area, over to his left. He put his hand on his hips, stance wide legged, “It was actually the other way around madam, as I recall,” he drawled.

  Now why had she brought that up again? That was the last thing that she wanted to discuss with him right now. She rubbed her bare hands over her forearms in an attempt to dispel the icy air which was finding its way straight through her close-fit mohair jumper. “Oh, you know what I mean,” she dismissed airily.

  He narrowed his eyes. “So, what’s with the rabbits then?” he wanted to know.

  He peered in through the side window of her car, shielding his gaze with one hand, trying to reduce the glare on the window from his car headlights, parked up opposite. “Have you got a computer in there?” he asked.

  “No.”She lied, a little too quickly. Technically it was a laptop, semantics, but it wasn’t an outright direct lie, anyway.

  He tapped his boot clad foot. “So, I’m waiting.”

  Rabbits, what did she know about rabbits? Her mind went blank. It wasn’t much of a cover, but she’d only reckoned on being questioned by old Bernard, or one of the other night watchmen. She hadn’t counted on Jazz turning up here at this time of night. What did he do, sleep at the place? She needed a distraction.

  It was appalling, but she went for the only one that she knew. She tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder and stuck both thumbs into the back pockets of her jeans. The jumper stretched very nicely across her breasts, bringing her favourite feature into sharp relief.

  His eyes flickered.

  Crystal gave her best ‘come hither’ stare.

  “Quit stalling Crystal.”He took a step nearer. Almost without volition his hand snaked out and captured the hair at the back of her neck. His breath was warm on her cheek as he brought his face in closer, close enough for her to see the expression in those clear blue-grey eyes.“I know you’re up to no good, you’re as guilty as hell.”His eyes fixed on her mouth. “So, come on, tell me about it.”Two could play at that game, he thought, trailing an icy finger down the warmth of her cheek and racking up the tension another notch. Trouble was, it was debatable which one of them would get burned first.

  What was the question again? Crystal had no idea. She just stared up at him, mute. She nibbled at her bottom lip as she tried to collect her thoughts. Good job she hadn’t invited him into the car, she thought hysterically. She’d have played out that fantasy of removing his clothes by now. This train of thought was not helping the situation at all.

  “Small furry creatures, you know. Beatrix Potter, that kind of thing,” she improvised.

  “We have all seen Watership Down, if that’s your next ploy.”He joined in the game. “So why here, and now? What have you got plugged into the lighter connection in the car then?”

  Bugger. She’d forgotten about that. There hadn’t been enough time to disconnect the power supply. Trust him to notice that. She wrinkled her nose. “Hair curlers?” she asked, knowing full well that he’d not believe that in a million years.

  “Little girls should not tell lies,” he stated.“You’ll get blisters on your tongue. Have you been telling lies Crystal?”he asked, his voice husky and intimate.

  He was playing with her. She knew it. And she’d started it herself. There was no-one else to blame. This would only end badly. He already held her in a stranglehold. Her hair was wrapped like a coil around his fist, gleaming brightly against the darkness of his skin, only just visible in the combined light from the moon and the factory building.

  The urge to stick out her tongue like a child was overwhelming, but she held the impulse in check. If he wanted to play kissing games with her tonight he’d have to make the decision himself, she wasn’t helping him. He’d already called her bluff, in spades.

  A frisson zizzed down her spine. The anticipation was more than compensation for the cold. She wondered if he’d follow through with the implied threat, or if her behaviour the other night had truly warned him off.

  Jazz wondered why she reduced him to the level of schoolboy every time he came within a hundred yards of her presence. Ten seconds ago he’d had no intention of touching her, and now here he was with a fist full of her hair, tempting fate. She was obviously using a computer here, but she was hardly likely to be hacking into her own company, there was no point. If she wanted financial information she could just walk on into the office and get it for herself. No questions asked. So what was she really up to? Right now, he didn’t care. He really did have her just where he wanted her, but was it wise to mix business and pleasure? Especially with Hetty’s granddaughter, his conscience prompted.

  Crystal watched the play of emotions across his face. So was he going to get down and dirty with her, or what? She’d never known a man less forthcoming. She’d played out a line and he was still wondering whether to bite. He’d not let her go though, and the suspense was driving her nuts.

  As if he could read her thoughts, he muttered, “It’s too cold for what you have in mind here tonight, and I’m not taking you home. My place is out of bounds. So we are both going to have to wait. I have feeling that there’s a security camera around here somewhere, trained on this area of the car park, so let’s not give Bernard too much to talk about, eh?”

  Just as she thought she was off the hook, he spun her around on the slippery ground and flattened her up against the side of the car. Pushing home his advantage, with the weight of his body he finally put them both out of their misery.

  One kiss, that’s all it was, and then he was gone.
Sauntering off into the night whistling as if he owned the place, which technically speaking, he probably did.

  Crystal stood rooted to the spot, hot and then cold, all at the same time. Before she’d even moved a muscle, he called back over his shoulder, “Oh, and next time you need some office space and a link up to our broadband, just use your office. I had Verity clear out your mother’s old room for you to use while you’re here. It’s better than freezing to death out here in the car park.”

  Chapter

  6

  Chapter 6

  London Calling

  By Thursday morning, her opinion was wavering. It had actually been very thoughtful of Jazz to offer her the use of her mother’s old room, and he really hadn’t been obliged to do anything of the sort, he had no requirement to provide her with office space. Having a proper office, newly fitted out with all of the latest in technology sure beat camping out in the car at the dead of night, but Crystal really wasn’t sure that she wanted to be in the room right next door to him.

  She’d already tried the inter-connecting doors, which her father had installed so that he could meet up with his wife when it suited him, and to her surprise, they remained unlocked. He obviously didn’t think she was some kind of a spy then, or he’d have seen to it that access was restricted. Of course, the theory worked both ways, and now he could stroll into her office any time he liked, to see what she was doing.

  She’d moved in yesterday, straight after their brief assignation in the car park, and by lunchtime she’d given up panicking every time she heard footsteps on the wooden floor next door, and had managed to settle down to some serious work on the party arrangements. Jazz obviously had no interest in her, or in what she was doing in here. The thought should have been comforting, but conversely it wasn’t. When she bumped into Verity in the corridor and asked when he’d be off back to London, she’d said he was a law unto himself and would do as he pleased. She was only his secretary; he didn’t bother informing her of his comings and goings. At the rate he was going, he was lucky to have a secretary at all, considering his mood of late. She said he’d been irritable and snappy with her all week.

  So, if he was having a steamy affair with Jeremy’s girlfriend, then he had a funny way of showing it. She’d wondered long and hard over whether she should tell Jez what she’d seen in Salisbury on Tuesday. Was it fair to spy on his girlfriend? She wouldn’t like it if someone did the same to her.

  Though, with hindsight it would have saved her from the fiasco she’d been party to in the States, if someone had. She may not have known that ‘her’ Phil was a married man, but some of her colleagues must have known, they’d all had stories to tell once the initial storm had broken. Amazing how a bit of publicity could loosen the tongue. She’d known that men talk, but she had been horrified to discover that Phil had bragged about the situation indiscriminately. She could see now that she’d been incredibly naive.

  How was that to help her with her current dilemma though? In the end she resolved to tell Jez about her meeting with Brad and then she could mention seeing Verity later in the day. If Jeremy wanted to know what Verity had been doing, then he could ask her himself.

  As to the other problem, she’d prevaricated all day yesterday, but now she needed to make headway. She knew the solution of course, but she was still loath to bridge the gap. Reaching yet another dead end, she reluctantly picked up the phone and dialled London. The line rang for the regulation three rings and then Carrie came on the line.“Marketing, Carrie speaking, how can I help you?”

  “Don’t say anything,” Crystal instructed. Then, less urgently, “Carrie, it’s Crystal.”

  “Crystal.”Carrie squealed at full volume down the line. And then, obviously taking in Crystal’s instructions, she gasped. “Oops, sorry. You didn’t want anyone to know it was you, did you?”

  Crystal sighed. It had been a long shot anyway Carrie was bound to blurt it out sooner or later anyhow. “No probs, but keep this low-key, if you can,” she cautioned.

  “Sure. Where have you been?” she hissed. “Saskia has had half of London on the look-out for you. You just went out to lunch and disappeared off the face of the earth. You wouldn’t have wanted to be around here the past few days, I’m telling you. The doo-doo has definitely hit the fan, big time.”

  This was just the kind of information she’d been trying to avoid. “Well, I don’t work for The Business anymore, so you probably shouldn’t be telling me insider gossip,” she remonstrated lightly.

  “So, you really did quit then? Saskia put out a memo saying that you’d gone on holiday for a few days, we were all expecting you back. Though not me of course, considering what happened, I didn’t think you’d come back, not after what they did to you,” she gabbled.

  Crystal took a deep breath and tried to formulate a reply, but Carrie was off again. “Phil tried to convince me to tell him where you were, said he was heartbroken. Said he would do whatever it takes to win back your love. He seemed really contrite. I began to feel a bit sorry for him.”

  “He’s good at that. He’s had a lot of practise. Let’s not go there, shall we? Look, I need a favour.”

  “Anything. It’s yours,” Carrie replied earnestly.

  “You don’t know what I’m going to ask yet.”Crystal smiled.

  “Shoot.”

  Where to start? Crystal doodled a number eight on the side of her notepad and began turning it into a chicken, with beak, wings and scratchy chicken feet. Should she add a comb to its head and make it male? What did a female chicken look like anyhow? She pulled her mind back to the situation in hand.“I went home to my family for a few days. It’s a bit complicated, but I need to arrange a party at short notice and I could do with my notebook. You know, the lime green one with pictures of tequila on the front. I left it behind reception, in my laptop bag, when I stopped off on my way through from LA. Can you get your hands on it for me?”

  “Saskia has it, and all of your other stuff. I could ask the temp that she’s got in to do your job while you’re away, I suppose. She’s pretty rubbish though. She can’t seem to get anything right. Saskia has been climbing the walls since you left. She’s driving us nuts.”

  She thought for a moment. “The temp might be stupid enough to hand over the book though, if I’m careful about how I ask for it. Leave it with me. I’ll need an address to send it to.”

  That’s what Crystal had been afraid of. “I’m going to give you my brother’s address. He’ll pass the notebook on to me. I’m not staying with him,” she insisted. “I’m sure I can trust you not to pass on his address to anyone, can’t I? I just don’t want to run into Phil, Saskia or any of the others for a very long time.”

  She gave a small shudder. Correction, she didn’t want to come across that particular worm anytime this century. His protestations of love and calculated charm had all been a smokescreen designed to bolster his own ego, further his own career.

  Her mind had other ideas. The mere mention of his name was enough to bring to life the heat of his body, wrapped passionately around her own, his breathing rapid and muscles lightly defined by a fine sheen of sweat, limbs pale against the dark sheets that he favoured in the LA apartment.

  With effort, she replaced the image with his whiny face and pleading expression, when he discovered that she’d finally found out the truth. It was enough to make her skin crawl, when she realised that everything she’d been told was a lie. She knew that one day she would be out from under his spell, she thought about him a little less each day that passed. As this rate she’d be free of him one day next century. She’d not thought about him now for at least an hour. Maybe she’d been more infatuated with him than desperately in love? She heard that love could turn to loathing, almost overnight.

  She knew that she shouldn’t be heartbroken, but she was furious that she’d been gullible enough to believe his lies. He hadn’t deserved her loyalty.

  “Say hi to the girls for me by all means, but don’t let on whe
re I am. You can do this for me, can’t you?” she insisted, holding her breath, waiting for the answer.

  “I promise I won’t tell them where you are. You will have to get in touch sooner or later though, especially if you want a reference,” Carrie cautioned.

  Oh no she wouldn’t.

  She relaxed her guard, beginning to breathe normally again. “All in good time,” she replied. Then, to prevent this rapidly turning into a question and answer session, she changed the subject, quickly “Just give me your mobile number, and then next time I’m in town we can catch up and do coffee or something?” she offered.“I’m lost without my contacts book.”She laughed.

  It was relatively simple then, to close the conversation down. After many more promises, to stay in touch, she finally hung up the receiver and looked up, to find Jazz standing in the open doorway, scrutinising the computer screen over her shoulder.

  “What are you doing there?” she snapped, flummoxed. How much had he overheard?

  “I came to see if you had everything that you need,” he drawled, but I can see that you’ve managed to make yourself at home already.” Crystal had the grace to flush, it would have been polite to say thank you for the new office space, but she’d been somewhat overtaken by events. He’d managed to put her on the back foot yet again.

  “Maisie says that you’re back in charge of the party arrangements this year? I understand that you are up against it, time-wise, so I shan’t keep you. I only came through to say that I’m back off up to town this afternoon, so if you need anything just ask Verity, she’ll help you.”

  How did he find that out? Her face mirrored her confusion.

  “Maisie ‘does’ for me too, Jeremy recommended her when I first arrived.”

  Ah, so that explained a lot of things, his reluctance to return home the other evening, for one. She wondered exactly how much ‘sensitive’ information Maisie had already thought to pass on, she would be in her element with Jazz. It didn’t bear thinking about really.