Jake nodded. ‘I had already told her, but I’m sure she appreciated your telling her personally.’ Stacy felt herself stiffen as he put an arm possessively about her waist. ‘Stacy was rather upset about it all,’ he added.
‘I’m sure she was,’ the older man looked uncomfortable. ‘Would you like me to introduce you to some of the other people here now?’
‘I don’t think so,’ Jake refused, his hand on her waist seeming to burn where it touched. ‘Stacy and I can manage just fine on our own.’
‘But, Jake, this is all—’
‘I said we can manage,’ Jake cut in. ‘Stacy can introduce me to anyone I care to meet, can’t you, honey?’
‘Er—yes, I suppose so.’
The director shrugged. ‘Okay then,’ he accepted defeat in the face of such obstinacy. ‘But I think Paul would like to meet you again.’
‘I’m sure he would,’ Jake snapped, his mouth a thin straight line. ‘But that’s the one person I don’t think Stacy would like to introduce me to. And I certainly don’t appreciate men of his type trying to force young girls into going out with him.’
‘I’ll—er—I’ll see you later, then.’
Jake was looking down at Stacy. ‘Perhaps, Martin. Perhaps.’
It was a disgruntled Martin Payne who finally left them, and Stacy wondered at Jake for daring to talk to him in that way. After all, he was one of the leading directors in the world, and Jake had more or less dismissed him.
She looked up at Jake, moving out of the hold he had about her waist. ‘That isn’t going to make you very popular,’ she warned.
He looked unperturbed. ‘I’m not out to win any popularity contests.’
‘Perhaps that’s as well,’ she sipped her drink. ‘Mm, my favourite drink, Martini and lemonade. Did your informant tell you that too?’
He grinned at her, his eyes deeply blue. ‘I don’t have an informant. I guessed about your drink, and as for the other—well, I just asked Payne why he’d dismissed you.’
She looked surprised. ‘And he told you about Paul Forbes?’
‘Not exactly.’
‘But you worked it out,’ she said knowingly.
‘Knowing Paul as I do, yes.’
Her eyes widened. ‘You know him?’ she asked almost accusingly.
‘Slightly.’
Her mouth compressed. ‘I see.’
‘I don’t think you do. Let’s sit down and we’ll talk about it.’ Without waiting for her answer he led her over to a secluded table, well away from everyone else and in the dimmer lighting. He pulled out a chair for her to sit down and then sat at her side, his arm resting along the back of her chair.
Stacy was very aware of the warmth of his arm against her bare skin, the velvet material of his jacket pleasurably caressing her back. She sat forward to avoid the intimacy of that touch. ‘You were saying you know Paul Forbes.’ She couldn’t even bring herself to look at him, she was so aware of him.
Why should he be interested in her anyway? There were plenty of much more beautiful women here tonight who would be only too pleased to be with such a distinguished, attractive man. And yet he had chosen her.
He gently pushed her back in the seat, leaning forward himself to prevent her moving again. Now Stacy felt hemmed in by him, unable to look anywhere else but at his dark compelling face, the expression in his eyes not one she cared to analyse.
‘I did say I know Paul, but not in the way you mean. I know him slightly, but I know of him better. His reputation for liking young girls is well known. Although in your case I can’t exa
ctly blame him.’
‘Well, I can,’ she said angrily. ‘He’s disgusting!’
‘I agree,’ he drawled. ‘But then you shouldn’t be so damned beautiful.’