The man frowned darkly. ‘It isn't hackneyed if it's the truth,’ he rasped.
She looked at him steadily, forcing herself to do so. ‘It may be true for you, but it certainly isn't true for me.’
‘Of course it is,’ he dismissed impatiently. ‘I refuse to believe——’
‘And I refuse to listen to this—rubbish any more,’ she cut in coldly. ‘I'm sure this approach has worked for you in the past, but I'm afraid that this time you've struck out. Perhaps you ought to take lessons from Andrew Baxter,’ she added bitterly.
‘Jessica——’
‘Would you please get out of my way.’ She looked up at him with cold eyes. ‘I'd like to get back to the party,’ she lied.
‘I'm not losing you now I've found you,’ Matthew told her firmly. ‘Will you come and dance with me?’
She knew it was just an excuse for him to get her into his arms, could see that in the naked desire in his eyes, but it could also be a way for her to get out of here. ‘I have to go to the ladies’ room first,’ she reminded him huskily.
‘Do you have any idea how sexy your voice is?’ he asked deeply.
Did nothing stop this man? He probably had a wife waiting for him in the other room! She pitied her even as she pitied herself. Maybe the two of them should get together and trade unfaithful husband stories!
‘Jessica,’ Matthew prompted her attention back to him. ‘Why do I get the impression you keep fading off from me?’ he frowned.
Maybe because she did! She had become so used to shutting herself off from Andrew that she often did it without even realising it. And this man's flirting turned her off more than anything, despite his undoubted attraction. She was married to a man who was too good-looking for his own good, and this man was just an older version of Andrew.
She gave him a bright meaningless smile. ‘You were just telling me how sexy my voice is,’ she recited to show she had been listening, another habit she had picked up from being married to Andrew.
Matthew smiled. ‘Very sexy,’ he confirmed throatily. ‘It's deep and husky, with a slight catch in it that sends shivers down my spine.’
He had certainly noticed a lot about her in these few brief minutes of conversation! ‘I'm glad you like it,’ she said lightly, wondering when he was going to let her go. Andrew would be getting impatient, and if he became angry with her there was no telling what would happen.
‘I more than like it,’ he said huskily, his face dangerously close to hers. ‘Jessica——’
‘I really do have to go to the ladies’ room,’ she interrupted jerkily, knowing that if he got any closer to her she was going to make a fool of herself.
‘All right,’ Matthew moved back with a sigh. ‘But you'll give me that dance?’
She would promise him anything to get out of here. ‘If that's what you want,’ she nodded.
‘It isn't but I'll settle for that. For now.’
He at last allowed her to stand up, and she moved quickly to the door. ‘I'll meet you inside,’ she told him, knowing she intended doing no such thing.
Matthew obviously knew it too. ‘I'll wait in the corridor for you,’ he made the answer Andrew should have made a few minutes ago.
‘All right.’ Jessica's tone was agitated. ‘I'll meet you outside the dance-room.’ Maybe she could avoid him in the crowd.
‘I'll wait for you outside here.’ He foiled that plan too.
She gave an impatient sigh, leaving by the door he opened for her, entering the room next door with a sense of relief.
Maybe if she stayed here long enough he would tire of waiting and go back to the party, although the determination in those tawny eyes hadn't given any indication of that. Matthew appeared to be a man who liked his own way, his arrogance was a fundamental part of his personality.
She hadn't realised she had noticed so much about him! She rarely noticed men at all, being shyly polite to the few male acquaintances Andrew had introduced her to in the past, and yet Matthew hadn't made it possible for her to behave either shyly or politely. He really was the most arrogant man!
But she couldn't sit here all night. She had left Andrew over fifteen minutes ago, and if she didn't soon return he was likely to come looking for her. Maybe Matthew would have returned to his wife by now.
No such luck. He was leaning back lazily against the wall when she stepped out into the corridor, his hands thrust casually into his trousers pockets, although he seemed to sense her presence immediately, straightening away from the wall, his eyes darkening appreciatively as he slowly studied her from the top of her gleaming head to the tips of her tiny feet.
He came forward to grasp her elbow, his hold possessive. ‘I wasn't sure I hadn't dreamt you,’ he murmured throatily, his gaze warm on her flushed face.
‘It's rather early in the evening to be drunk,’ Jessica said coldly.
‘I'm not drunk,’ he smiled. ‘At least, not from alcohol. I had an awful feeling you might try and slip away from me.’
She allowed herself to be steered in the direction of the room where the loud music and noisy chatter seemed to have risen to a crescendo, feeling relief that at least she wasn't to be alone when she went in there, although she would rather it hadn't been this man at her side.
Consequently her voice was sharp when next she spoke. ‘There was no way I could do that,’ she snapped.
‘I'm glad,’ he squeezed her elbow. ‘I don't want to lose you now I've found you.’
As soon as she found Andrew she would make sure she never spoke to this maniac again!
But Andrew was nowhere to be seen, not at the bar, and not on the dance floor. Her imagination told her only too accurately what he was probably doing—and it wouldn't be anything innocent, not if his latest mistress were here.
He could have behaved himself one evening, especially in front of his boss. She was sure it wasn't going to impress John Sinclair to see Andrew flirting with his own secretary!
‘You seem to be looking for someone,’ Matthew remarked deeply at her side.
‘I am,’ she snapped her resentment that he was still there. So far the evening was turning out to be a complete disaster.
‘The man you came with?’ he said shrewdly.
‘My husband, yes,’ she nodded, watching as he seemed to pale at her disclosure.
‘Your husband …?’ he repeated softly. ‘He's here?’ His hand dropped away from her elbow.
‘Oh yes,’ she gave a bitter smile.
‘Where?’ Matthew rasped.
Her eyes flashed deeply blue. ‘If I knew that I wouldn't
