But Jacy didn't notice his cynicism, or the lack of humour in his smile. She was too hypnotised by the overpowering masculine aura of the man, and with unconscious feline grace she curved her body more snugly into his.
'Well, Jacy?' he demanded. 'No reply, or frightened you might incriminate yourself?'
'Deprived of you,' she drawled languidly. 'But the wait was worth it,' she whispered and felt the rising pressure of his masculine arousal as his hand slid lower to her buttocks and turned her hard against him. She sucked in her breath as fire coursed through her veins. It was as though the rest of the room, the people, had disappeared, and there was only Leo. He filled her mind and her senses to the exclusion of all else.
'Let's get out of here. I can't wait any longer,' Leo growled impatiently, holding her for a long moment, still and rigid against him, as the sexual tension shimmered in the air around them, heavy with need and unspoken desire.
She was unaware of the knowing looks, and the surprised glances, as minutes later Leo, with admirable restraint, made their polite goodbyes and ushered her downstairs and out into the pale evening light. Meekly she followed him across the grass to the car park.
'Get in the car,' he said curtly, opening the door to a long black Jaguar, and then swinging into the driving seat.
The fresh air finally broke through the sensual haze Jacy had been living in for the past few minutes, and rather nervously she pulled the hem of her skirt down to her knees as she sank into the soft
leather upholstery of the passenger seat. Was she ready for this? she asked herself.
With a squeal of burning rubber the car shot forward down the entrance drive to the racecourse and out on to the open road towards London. 'It's about two hours' drive to the city; would you like to stop somewhere en route for dinner?'
'Not really, I've been munching on caviar, chicken and just about anything else you can name all afternoon. Tom's bank certainly knows how to entertain,' she said conversationally, hoping to defuse the air of electric tension filling the car.
'In that case we'll go to your place; it's slightly nearer,' Leo opined bluntly, casting her a brief sidelong glance, and, as if sensing her growing awareness of their abrupt departure, he dropped one hand from the wheel and gently stroked her thigh through the soft wool of her skirt. 'Your trouble is, you think too much, Jacy. Relax and enjoy; we've waited a long time to be alone together.' His dark voice deepened perceptibly.
She looked across at his starkly etched profile. She could not see the expression in his eyes, but as his long fingers teased towards her inner thigh she swallowed hard, the sexual tension back in full force. Jacy covered his hand with her own. 'My place is fine,' she managed to say. 'But I would like us to get there in one piece, so both hands on the wheel, please.' She tried to lighten the atmosphere, but in the close confines of the car his nearness seemed to affect her breathing and heighten her awareness of him.
'I'll please you; don't doubt it, sweetheart,' he murmured, and squeezed her slender hand for an instant before returning his own to the wheel.
She breathed out shakily. What was she afraid of? Hadn't she decided it was time she grew up? Leo wanted her and, dear heaven, she wanted him. They were friends now. Of a sort, a little voice taunted, and soon to be lovers. She sat up straight in the seat, and with a terrific effort of will managed to ask almost levelly, 'Did you see your aunt safely home all right?'
'Yes.'
'Was it a good trip?' she blundered on, trying to ignore the play of muscles in his thigh as his foot worked the pedals. She raised her eyes to his hands on the wheel-such strong, tanned hands, and she could almost feel them on her naked flesh.
'Yes.' Another blunt reply.
'You're not very talkative,' she prompted huskily.
'We've talked enough over the past few days. What I have in mind now is something else again,' he drawled huskily. 'At the moment my priority is reaching your damn house.' He shot her a quick dark glance, and returned his attention to the road.
Jacy's lips curved in a secret feminine smile. Leo was suffering from the same frustration she was feeling, and the discovery wasn't at all displeasing. She laid her head back against the seat, and, whether it was the champagne or simply the smooth motion of the car, in minutes she was asleep.
'We've arrived, sleepyhead.'
She opened her eyes and for an instant did not know where she was. Leo was leaning over her, his handsome face only inches from her own, and she smiled softly.
Lifting her hand, she stroked his cheek. 'Leo,' she murmured, and his lips covered hers in a deep, drugging kiss.
Minutes later she was standing on the doorstep of her home, and with shaking fingers trying to find the door-key in the bottom of her bag. Leo wasn't helping as, with one arm around her waist, his dark head bent and his firm lips nuzzled provocatively on her neck. She found the key, but had great difficulty trying to put it in the lock, her hand was trembling so much.
'For God's sake, Jacy, give it to me.' And, taking the key from her, he opened the door and propelled her inside.
Automatically she switched on the hall light, and turned back to glance at Leo. Suddenly nervous, all her self-protective instincts coming to the fore, she was about to mouth the obvious cliche, Would you like a coffee? But when her golden eyes met his, for a second she was struck dumb by the flash of barely controlled violence in the depths of his dark eyes.
Dynamic and all male, he projected a raw virility that was almost frightening in its intensity. An involuntary shiver snaked down her spine. Tall and dark, he towered over her; she could sense the unbridled masculine aggression in his still form. 'Leo...' His name a question on her lips, she stepped back.
'No, Jacy,' he gritted. 'Not this time.'
Jacy made a feeble effort to restrain him as he pulled her to him, but they both knew it was only a token gesture. His mouth found hers and in moments all her last-minute doubts had vanished.
She should have been horrified by the savagery of his kiss, but instead her mouth opened and she welcomed the fierce sexual demand apparent in the hard force of his mouth and tongue. His teeth pulled on her lower lip and she swallowed his hot breath with her own. His strong hands stroked up her back and down to her buttocks, hauling her into the hard masculine heat of his taut thighs. Her feet left the floor as he lifted her, better to fit the muscled contours of his superb physique, and then somehow he was carrying her up the narrow stairs, his mouth grazing her cheeks, her throat, urgent and enticing.