It was a strained meal, with the two men barely on speaking terms. Tracy was once again the only one who seemed immune to the tension around her. When Tracy dismissed the housekeeper, making the coffee herself, Natalie decided to join her, the aged Golden Labrador padding along with them. It was a friendly dog called Sophy, and it obviously adored Tracy as much as she adored it.
‘You and Adam are very close.’ It was a statement from the other woman, not a question.
‘Yes,’ Natalie blushed.
Tracy nodded. ‘I can see how happy you are together.’
‘Your own happiness is equally obvious.’
The other woman arranged the cups on the tray. ‘Is it?’
Natalie frowned. ‘Isn’t it?’
‘Of course,’ Tracy said lightly. ‘What do you suppose the two men are doing?’ she teased. ‘Do you think they’re at eash others throats yet?’ Her eyes twinkled mischievously.
‘Probably,’ she laughed. ‘Don’t you mind?’
Tracy shrugged. ‘I gave up worrying about it years ago. You aren’t Adam’s usual type at all, you know,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘And I’m not being bitchy.’
Natalie knew that; she doubted Tracy had ever been bitchy in her life. Her own liking of the other girl had deepened tonight—and her dislike of Jason and her sister had grown. Tracy trusted her husband implicitly, and he took advantage of that trust to betray her.
‘Does Adam have a type?’ she mused.
‘Oh, I don’t mean he goes exclusively for blondes or redheads, or anything like that,’ Tracy laughed. ‘But his women are usually clinging, kittenish.’
‘Like the Princess?’ Natalie remembered the cloying redhead from the theatre.
‘Maria?’ Tracy’s eyes widened. ‘You’ve met her?’
‘Not exactly,’ she grimaced. ‘But I saw her.’
Tracy giggled enchantingly, looking more beautiful than ever against the background of her own home. ‘Then you know what I mean about clinging and kittenish. Maria makes an art of it. You’re so different.’
Natalie smiled. ‘I am?’
‘You know you are. You’re younger than most of them, for one thing, and you have an air of independence. You run your own business,’ Tracy added as if to clarify the point.
Natalie had noticed how genuinely interested the other girl was in the fact that she had a career. Maybe Adam’s ideas for his sister were good ones after all.
‘Have you ever worked?’ she asked softly.
Tracy flushed. ‘No. I’d just left school when I met Jason, and since we’ve been married he hasn’t encouraged me to go to work.’
No, she could imagine he hadn’t. It wouldn’t suit Jason Dillman at all to have his wife find a little independence by having a career.
‘And there’s really no need for it,’ Tracy added almost defensively.
‘I doubt if Adam needs to work either.’
‘No,’ the other woman flushed. ‘But he isn’t the type rich and idle playboys are made of.’
‘And you’re the type that rich and idle playgirls are made of?’ Natalie prompted.
‘No,’ Tracy sighed. ‘But Jason’s never liked the idea of my going out to work.’
‘I see.’ Natalie pursed her lips. ‘Well, maybe you would like to come down to the agency some time and see how it works?’ She made the suggestion as lightly as possible, seeing from the eager light in Tracy’s eyes that the idea interested her enormously.
‘When?’ Tracy was filled with suppressed excitement.
Natalie shrugged. ‘Any time. Whenever you’re free.’
‘I have hairdressing and dental appointments tomorrow, but how about Thursday?’ Tracy said eargerly, showing just how empty she found her days.
‘Thursday what, darling?’ Jason strolled into the kitchen, looking at them both enquiringly, his arm going about his wife’s shoulders. ‘Adam and I were wondering what was keeping you both.’
Tracy looked almost guilty. ‘Natalie was just inviting me to her agency on Thursday,’ she informed him strongly.
Narrowed brown eyes were turned on Natalie, but she coolly withstood that gaze. ‘Indeed?’ he drawled.
Natalie nodded. ‘I thought Tracy might like it.’
‘I think it’s a very good idea.’ Adam joined them—much to Natalie’s relief. ‘You should find it interesting, Tracy,’ his arm curved possessively about Natalie’s waist.
‘I thought so,’ she nodded, eyeing Jason uncertainly.
‘Well, if you insist on going…’ Jason let his words hang in the air, his disapproval of the idea obvious.
Natalie found it difficult to keep quiet as she saw the battle going on within Tracy. The other girl was fully aware of her husband’s disapproval, and yet the temptation to see the agency was proving too strong for her.
‘I’ll take you both out to lunch afterwards,’ Adam offered firmly.
‘Oh, that would be lovely,’ his sister accepted eagerly.
Natalie noticed that Jason didn’t echo the sentiment, that in fact he said little for the rest of the evening. Emotional blackmail, Natalie decided, but to Tracy’s credit she didn’t back down.
‘That was a good idea of yours, darling.’ Adam drove the Porsche with the minimum of effort, one of his hands momentarily leaving the steering-wheel to clasp hers. ‘Jason didn’t like it one bit,’ he added with satisfaction.
‘Thank goodness, Tracy did.’
‘Only because she admires you, sweetheart,’ he said with pride. ‘As I do,’ he added throatily.
‘That isn’t what Tracy said,’ Natalie taunted.
Adam frowned. ‘What do you mean? Tracy has never hurt anyone in her life!’
‘And she hasn’t now,’ she assured him hastily. ‘But she did tell me you usually like clinging women, women unlike me.’
‘Did she now?’ he mused.
‘Mm,’ she said primly. ‘Kittenish women, like the Princess.’
‘I told you she didn’t like her,’ he laughed softly.
‘Neither do I,’ Natalie laughed too.
He parked the car behind the MG outside her apartment building, then came round to open her car door for her. ‘And you do cling, darling,’ he told her as they entered the building together, his arm about her waist. ‘At the right time,’ he murmured against her earlobe.
‘Adam!’ she blushed.
He closed and locked the flat door behind them with obvious relief, shutting out the rest of the world to take her into his arms. ‘I thought I’d never get you to myself!’ he groaned, raining fevered kisses over her throat.
Natalie had felt the same way, and they lost no time in showing each other just how much they wanted to be alone together.
And they were alone, all night, and all the next day. When it came to morning Adam refused to let her get out of bed, and by the time they thought of such mundane things as time again it was after twelve and much too late to worry about going into their respective offices. Instead they made lunch together in Natalie’s compact kitchen—compact compared to what Adam was used to, luxurious to her. After breakfast they dressed and went out to the park, walking hand in hand in the sunshine like two starry-eyed teenagers.
For Natalie their time together passed as if in a dream, a dream she wanted never to wake from.
But all too soon reality intruded. Adam had to leave early Thursday morning to get to a nine o’clock appointment he couldn’t avoid.
‘I have to go in myself today.’ She held him down to her as he bent to kiss her as she still lay beneath the sheet, already fully dressed himself. ‘Dee didn’t sound too well when I spoke to her yesterday. Besides, I can hardly call Tracy and tell her I can’t see her this morning because I want to stay in bed with her brother,’ she grinned. ‘I don’t think she would understand.’
‘She might,’ Adam smiled, sitting beside her on the bed. ‘But I don’t think my client would. But I’ll see you both for lunch, hmm?’
‘I’ll miss you.’ Her arms
clung about his neck.
‘I’ll miss you too,’ he groaned. ‘I’ll make arrangements for us to be together all the time as soon as possible, shall I?’
Some of her happiness left her, and her gaze wavered from his. ‘Let’s leave it a while, shall we?’
‘Why?’ he rasped, frowning.
‘It’s all happened too soon, Adam. Let’s not rush ourselves, Okay?’
For a moment he looked as if he might argue, then he nodded. ‘Okay—for now. I’ll approach you about it again at a more—vulnerable, moment.’
She laughed. ‘That isn’t fair!’
‘I’ve never said I was fair,’ he smiled, looking regretfully at his wrist-watch. ‘But I am late. I hate to go, darling,’ he stood up. ‘I’ll pick you and Tracy up at one o’clock.’
Natalie lay back in the bed once he had gone, feeling too happy to want to move. The last two days had been wonderful, marvellous—and she was missing Adam already. Physically she knew they were perfectly matched, knew that despite her inexperience she gave Adam as much pleasure as he gave her, that her mere touch caused a shudder of desire to course through his body. During the last thirty-six hours he hadn’t been able to get enough of her, nor she of him, and even now she burned for his return.
When the doorbell rang as she chewed uninterestedly on a piece of toast she felt sure it was Adam, that he had been unable to leave her either!
The smile faded from her lips as she opened the door to her sister, and she held her wrap protectively in front of her as Judith’s eyes widened derisively at her ruffled appearance, her face still bare of make-up, her hair in disarray. It was the way Adam liked her best, but Judith simply eyed her with mockery.
‘Is it all right to come in?’ her sister drawled.
‘Of course.’ Natalie flushed, relieved now that Adam had already left.
Judith swayed into the room, looking about her interestedly, sitting herself down on one of the bar stools in the kitchen. ‘Any more coffee?’ She eyed the pot.
Natalie poured her a cup, her hand shaking in her agitation. ‘Sugar?’
‘You know I never touch the stuff,’ Judith watched her mockingly. ‘You seem—nervous, Natalie.’
‘Don’t be silly.’ She sat down, evading her sister’s gaze. ‘Why should I be nervous?’
‘Could it have something to do with the fact that if I’d arrived ten minutes earlier I might have met Adam Thornton on the stairs?’ Judith taunted.
The colour flooded and then ebbed from her cheeks, leaving her deathly white. ‘Don’t be silly, Judith—’
‘Silly?’ her sister derided. ‘The only silly thing I seem to have done lately is think how pure and sweet my older sister is, and all this time you’ve been sleeping with Adam Thornton!’
‘I—’
‘The parents sang your praises all weekend, so much so I began to believe them,’ Judith’s mouth twisted. ‘You see, none of us had any idea you were sleeping with Adam Thornton.’ Her face hardened. ‘I even argued with Jason when he told me you were.’
‘Jason!’ Natalie said disgustedly.
Judith’s eyes flashed angrily. ‘Don’t be so high and mighty, Natalie. Especially as you’re no better than we are now.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ she gasped.
‘Jason told me exactly why you’re sleeping with Adam,’ her sister sneered. ‘And I know you’ve been seeing him. I was talking to Jason on the telephone on Tuesday when you arrived for dinner with Adam.’
‘At his own home!’
‘Why not?’ Judith dismissed.
‘If you don’t know I’m not going to tell you!’ Tracy could have walked in on that telephone call at any time, and Judith didn’t seem to give a damn!
‘Oh, stop being so damned sanctimonious, Natalie!’ Her sister slammed her cup down on the breakfast bar.
‘You’re sleeping with a man simply to keep his business at your agency, and you—’
‘What did you say?’
‘Grow up, Natalie,’ Judith sneered, standing up. ‘You’re sleeping with Adam Thornton so that he doesn’t ruin your beloved agency. I know, you know it, and you can bet he knows it too!’
‘Get out,’ Natalie ordered shakily. ‘Get out, Judith, and don’t ever come back!’
‘Oh, I’m going,’ her sister drawled. ‘I just wanted you to know you aren’t deceiving anyone with your Goody-Two-Shoes act. We all know about you now.’
‘Get out!’ Natalie’s voice was low and controlled.
She didn’t even notice her sister leaving, pain such as she had never known before ripped through her brain and body. She didn’t care what Judith thought, she didn’t care what Jason Dillman thought either, but could Adam possibly believe that about her too…? God, she would want to die if he too believed she had gone to bed with him so that she didn’t lose the Thornton business at her agency.
CHAPTER EIGHT
AS Natalie sat there in numbed silence she knew he had no reason to think anything else. And hadn’t he once questioned her practice not to query how the work came to her agency? Oh, he had been talking about Judith’s involvement with Jason at the time, but she knew that the parallel could also be levelled at her now.
But she loved him, had told him of that love! And he hadn’t acknowledged that love, had shown her only desire and need. Dear God, he did believe she had given herself to him because of her agency, because of Fantasy Girl!
Why shouldn’t he? She had sacrificed her pride to help him with his sister when he had threatened her agency with ruin, why shouldn’t he think her capable of sacrificing her body for the same reason?
The happiness she had known in his arms only an hour ago now seemed like ashes at her feet. The beauty and tenderness of their time together was all in her imagination; she was no more than just another willing woman to Adam, an ambitious willing woman at that. That was what hurt the most, the knowledge that Adam could believe she had done it only for ambition’s sake.
How she ever dressed herself and drove to the office she never afterwards knew. She simply found herself unlocking the agency door, switching on the lights, putting on the coffee, doing all the things she usually did when she was first in in the morning.
When the harsh noise of the telephone rang out she dropped the steaming cup of hot black coffee she had just been adding sugar to, stepping over the shattered fragments to pick up the receiver, watching uninterestedly as the coffee soaked into the black carpet, more concerned with who could be calling her. If it were Adam…!
‘Natalie?’
She froze at the sound of the male voice, her fingers clenching about the receiver. ‘Yes?’ Her voice was little more than a choked whisper.
‘Tom here. I—’
‘Tom?’ she realised with relief, as her tension began to ebb.
‘I didn’t mean to startle you—’
‘Oh, you didn’t,’ she assured him hurriedly. ‘What is it? Is there something wrong with Dee?’
‘Couldn’t I have just called to tell you how beautiful you are?’ he teased.
Natalie laughed at his flirting, friends with both of the Jones’s. ‘Not if you want to remain in one piece, no.’
‘You’ve noticed my wife’s violent tendencies too, have you?’
‘I hope Dee can’t hear you, Tom,’ Natalie chuckled. This lighthearted teasing was exactly what she needed to help make her feel normal again. If she ever did! Her pride had taken a bitter blow today, her heart an even harder one, and she didn’t know yet whether she was going to recover.
Or what she was going to do about Adam! She couldn’t continue this affair with him now that she realised why he thought she had slept with him. It was too painful, too—too degrading, and it made a mockery of the love she felt for him.
‘She can’t,’ Tom confirmed. ‘I’m afraid she’s in bed. She wasn’t feeling too good when she got home last night, so I took her out for a meal, and now she’s been sick all night. What a waste of a good meal!’
>
‘Now I definitely know Dee isn’t listening! Has she had the doctor?’
‘Hm, he thinks it’s a tummy bug. I doubt if you’ll see her again until Monday.’
Natalie had already guessed that. ‘Give her my love, and tell her not to worry about a thing.’
‘I will. Are you feeling better now?’
‘Better…? Oh—oh yes,’ she answered jerkily, blushing, although of course Tom couldn’t see that. ‘A lot better, thanks. I—I’d better go now.’
‘Sure. See you.’ He rang off cheerfully.
Natalie leant weakly against the desk, realising just how lost in her love for Adam she had become. She never took a day off work, she was always very conscious of her responsibility to the people who worked for her. But yesterday she had forgotten everything but Adam, and making love with him
Work. That was what she needed now, work such as she had never known before. Only then would she perhaps be able to put Adam out of her mind.
Clearing up the mess from the spilt coffee wasn’t exactly what she had in mind, but it was where she was going to have to make a start!
She was down on her knees scrubbing the carpet when the door opened and Tracy Dillman came in. Natalie closed her eyes momentarily, having completely forgotten since speaking to Judith this morning that the other girl was coming here today.
‘So this is the glamour of a modelling agency!’ Tracy grinned down at her.
Natalie sat back on her heels. ‘We all have to start at the bottom,’ her own humour was brittle; Tracy’s likeness to Adam was too noticeable to cause her anything but pain.
‘So I see,’ Tracy giggled, looking very young and beautiful in the pure white dress that clung lovingly to her slender curves.
Natalie stood up, throwing away the debris from the broken cup. ‘A slight accident, very clumsy of me. I’m afraid I’m on my own today, Tracy, and—’ she broke off as the telephone rang.
For the next half an hour she seemed to have one telephone call after another. The telephone rang again every time she tried to talk to Tracy. At this rate it would be lunchtime before she had the chance to tell Tracy they would have to cancel this meeting until another day. Dee’s absence was making it impossible for her to talk to Tracy today!
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