That was what she was afraid of! ‘No, I don’t think—’
‘I’m not asking you to think. Don’t be such a baby, Stacy. Is there no adventure in your soul, no craving for danger?’
Not when she knew she had a good chance of losing to him. ‘No,’ she said huskily.
‘I don’t believe you.’
He pulled her along behind him and Stacy had no choice but to follow him. She was conscious of many people curiously watching their exit, and this didn’t improve her mood.
She pulled away from him once they were outside, glaring at him resentfully, her colour heightened. ‘It’s cold out here,’ she lied. ‘I want to go back inside.’
His answer was to put an arm about her shoulders and pull her hard against the side of his firm muscular body. ‘It isn’t cold, Stacy,’ he contradicted. ‘B
ut if you are just stay close to me, I’ll keep you warm.’
‘Perhaps that’s what I’m afraid of.’
‘That’s what I thought.’ He turned to face her, his arms about her waist as he moulded her thighs to his. ‘I can’t do much to you in a garden, now can I?’
She gulped. ‘I suppose not.’
‘Besides, I like the comfort of a bed when I make those sort of advances. I’ve gone past the impetuous youth bit where I can make love anywhere. Also, I want things to be right between us the first time.’
She gulped again. This man was unlike anyone else she had ever known, said things no one else would dare to say on such short acquaintance. ‘The—’ she licked her dry lips. ‘The first time?’
‘The first time we make love,’ he told her calmly.
She gave a short breathless laugh. ‘I can’t decide whether you’re conceited or I’ve just gone mad,’ she said dazedly.
‘Neither of those things,’ Jake murmured huskily, his eyes never leaving her parted lips. ‘Your mouth was made for kissing. I’ve wanted to kiss you ever since I saw you in the lift this evening.’
‘But you—you were so distant.’
His dark eyebrows rose. ‘I could hardly make love to you in a lift, and I don’t think you would have let me on such short acquaintance. Besides, I knew you were going to be here this evening. It was the only thing that persuaded me to be here at all.’
All the time they were talking she was aware of the hardness of his body curved into her own, her hands crushed against his chest. ‘But surely you had to be here, to protect your employer?’
‘Does it look as if I’m doing much protecting?’
‘No,’ she admitted.
‘That’s because I’m not. I abhor parties and I dislike crowds. I’m only here to see you.’
‘You flatter me!’
‘Maybe, but I don’t usually put myself out for other people.’
He was very arrogant, considering he was only a lowly employee like herself. ‘You’re very lucky if you don’t have to, some of us aren’t so privileged.’
‘You don’t seem to have made any concessions in your argument with Payne this afternoon,’ he taunted.
She blushed. ‘That was different.’
‘Not at all. You make your own set of rules and you have to live by them.’ His hold about her waist tightened. ‘And I’m very glad you kept to yours today. It could have caused quite a scene if I’d had to fight Forbes to get you.’
Her eyes widened. ‘You would have done that?’
‘Oh yes, Stacy, I would have done that.’