Lucy Gordon - Tycoon for Hire

She slipped her arm through Steven’s and he responded on cue, smiling into her eyes with a theatrical intensity that was almost fatuous. She had a mad desire to giggle, as though the two of them were engaged in a private joke that nobody else understood. Not even David.

He was frowning uneasily, as though the sight of her with another man displeased him. But then Penny claimed his attention and he turned away. Jennifer kept her head up and her smile in place, but it was hard.

Fifty round tables filled the room, each seating eight guests. Jennifer didn’t know whether to be glad or dismayed to find that she was at the same table as David and Penny. They were almost opposite her, so she could see how gallantly he drew out her chair. He was always an attentive dinner companion, Jennifer thought wistfully. It made him charming to be with. She averted her eyes.

‘Tell me about David Conner,’ Steven said. ‘What does he do?’

‘He owns a small firm making machine tools,’ Jennifer said.

‘Did he start it himself?’

‘No, his father left it to him.’

The meal kept them occupied for a while. Steven played his part to perfection, attending to all her wants and smiling. Then there were speeches. Jennifer was facing the top table, but David and Penny had to turn around, so she could watch them without being seen. She noticed that David didn’t rest his hand on his companion’s arm, but sometimes he would lean close to speak to her, so that their hair touched.

The speeches ended and the mood became relaxed. People began drifting from table to table. One or two dropped by to talk to her. She did some useful networking, and when she’d finished she noticed that Steven was sitting with David and Penny. David was talking earnestly, and Steven was listening with a frown of concentration that made Jennifer wonder if he were concealing boredom.

‘How about asking me to dance?’ she said.

‘My lady has only to command,’ Steven replied, and led her onto the floor for a waltz.

‘You don’t know what a rare pleasure it is to dance with a woman tall enough to look me in the eye,’ he observed. ‘Usually I get a crick in my neck.’

‘I thought I ought to rescue you from David.’

‘Afraid all his serious talk would be above my head, huh?’

‘What did you tell him about us?’

‘That I was your toyboy, of course.’

‘Can’t you be serious for a minute?’

‘I’ll tell you this seriously. I’m not sure I ought to help you get him back. You might end up married to him, and how would I ever forgive myself?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘He’s not the man you need. You’d always be fighting with him for the mirror.’

‘What nonsense!’

‘It isn’t nonsense, Jenny—’

‘Don’t,’ she said quickly. ‘Only David calls me Jenny.’

‘It’s the wrong name for you anyway. Jenny is a little brown wren, and you’re a bird of paradise.’

‘Don’t be so sure,’ she said lightly. ‘I might turn out to be a cawing rook instead.’

He broke into laughter. It was a rich, pleasant sound, and several people glanced at them, including David. Immediately she turned up the wattage on her smile, focusing on Steven’s face.

‘OK,’ he said, understanding at once. ‘If that’s how you want to play it—’ He tightened his arm in the small of her back, drawing her against him, and an ardent look came into his eyes. ‘You’re gorgeous. I hope David appreciates you.’

‘Of course he does.’

‘Has he mentioned marriage?’

She hesitated. ‘In his own way.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘In actions,’ she said reluctantly, ‘not words.’

‘Don’t fool yourself, Jennifer. That “actions not words” argument is how women convince themselves that a man has said something when he hasn’t. You want him to propose and he won’t. Is that why you quarrelled?’

‘Never mind.’

‘Of course I mind. Until midnight I’m your new lover, madly jealous of the man you’re in love with. You are in love with him, aren’t you?’

‘Completely.’

‘More fool you! What was the quarrel about?’

How could she stop this man? He seemed to have an hypnotic power that made it natural to tell him whatever he wanted to know.

But it was hard to analyse the quarrel because she wasn’t sure what it had been about. They’d been discussing a problem David had had with his firm. To her the solution had been obvious, and she’d been happy to help him. Suddenly she’d looked up to see him watching her strangely.

‘You know more about this than I do, don’t you?’ he’d asked quietly.

Even then she hadn’t seen the danger, but had answered cheerfully. ‘It’s being with that old rascal, my grandfather. Some of it rubs off. Look, darling, all you have to do is—’

But he’d stopped her there, accusing her of trying to take charge. She’d denied it indignantly, and things had escalated. By the time they parted they’d covered so much ground that the original disagreement had become lost.

‘It had nothing to do with marriage,’ she said now, at last.

‘I’m glad. You’re worth a better man than David Conner.’

‘Don’t say that!’ she protested quickly.

‘Well done! I like you with that glowing light in your eyes. Don’t keep trying to watch him. You’ll spoil your effect. Concentrate on me. I think you’re a knock-out, plus you’ve got courage and spirit.’

‘Do you always talk to your clients like this?’

‘My—? Well, it’s true that I don’t do this often,’ Steven said, recovering quickly from his slip. ‘I tend to tell people the blunt truth instead of murmuring sweet nothings. Smile at me. He’s looking.’

Jennifer offered up her most dazzling smile and he returned it, gazing deep into her eyes. ‘That’s fine,’ he murmured. ‘Mind you, you’re more impressive when you’re annoyed.’

‘If you dare to tell me I look beautiful when I’m angry I’ll—I’ll step on your toe.’

‘I promise not to say anything so corny.’

‘Good.’

‘Even though it’s true.’

She saw his lips twitch and couldn’t stop herself from responding. The next moment she was joining in his laughter. ‘Oh, go to the devil!’ she said lightly.

‘Certainly. With you in my arms I’ll waltz to the mouth of hell and back.’ His eyes flickered in David’s direction, and he murmured through his smile, ‘You’ve got him worried.’

‘Who?’

‘David. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten the poor sap?’

‘Of course not,’ she said, too quickly. It was true that she’d been so intrigued by this man that David had briefly slipped from her mind.

‘Let’s give him something to really worry about,’ Steven suggested. He drew her closer still, looking down deep into her eyes. ‘I love the cut of your dress,’ he whispered.

She knew he meant her low neckline, and to her dismay she started to blush. She was one of those lucky women who could blush attractively, her cheeks going a delicate pink—something the man holding her close noticed with interest.

‘You’re the most beautiful woman here,’ he told her.

‘Stop saying things like that,’ Jennifer whispered.

‘You’re paying me to say them,’ he reminded her.

She caught her breath with shock. She’d been caught up in this man’s seductive spell, her senses vibrating with the power that streamed from him. And it was all a delusion. She’d bought his compliments, and they meant nothing.

‘Well, since you’re under my orders,’ she said in a shaking voice, ‘I’m telling you to stop.’

‘You hired me to make David Conner jealous, and that’s what I’m going to do.’