could well imagine she wouldn’t. ‘Perhaps not, but——’
‘Wait until you’ve met him, Eden, and see for yourself how she changes in his company. No one could fight that.’
‘You like this man, don’t you,’ she stated with certainty, noting a certain respect when he spoke of the other man.
‘Sure I like him.’ Tim parked the car, turning in his seat to look at her. ‘Have you been put off the Channing family by these blunt revelations? Has it shocked you too much?’
She was a little less sure of her feelings towards him, but she wasn’t going to admit that to him, to show her naïveté any more clearly than she already had. She smiled brightly. ‘Of course not.’
He caressed one of her creamy cheeks with long gentle fingers. ‘I’m glad about that, because I do care for you, Eden, more than for any other girl I’ve ever dated. I wouldn’t like you to think I’d frightened you off me.’
He had a little, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. ‘I’m not easily frightened,’ she said jokingly. ‘Now, shall we go in?’
Tim straightened in his seat before getting out to come round and open her car door for her. He wrapped her jacket more firmly about her by pulling the lapels close together, bending to kiss her lightly on the nose. ‘Don’t go away,’ he ordered huskily, moving to lock the car before coming back to her side, his arm about her shoulders as he held her to his side. ‘I wish Claire wasn’t joining us now, we could have ducked out and gone somewhere to be alone.’
‘With what in mind?’ Her golden eyes were guarded.
‘Now, Eden,’ he rebuked gently. ‘Haven’t I always behaved perfectly with you?’
‘Perfectly,’ she agreed.
‘And I’m not going to behave any differently now. I respect and like you too much. Okay?’
‘Thank you,’ she smiled at him shyly.
‘Mm, now forget the conversation we had in the car. I’m a nice guy, remember?’
‘I remember,’ she laughed.
And she did try to keep that thought in mind during the next hour, tried to get back on the mildly flirtatious footing they had always been on. But something had changed between them, a new awareness there that hadn’t been in their relationship before. But she hid her uncertainty with him well, joining in with his lighthearted bantering with a gaiety she hoped only she knew was forced.
His admission of experience shouldn’t have had this effect on her, she had been out with other boys who she knew had an equal experience. And yet she had been getting very fond of Tim, more than fond, and she didn’t like to think there had been other girls in his life who had shared an intimate knowledge with him.
She felt a certain amount of relief therefore when he announced the arrival of his sister and her escort. He stood up. ‘Try not to show your disapproval,’ he bent down to whisper in her ear.
‘Oh, I wouldn’t!’ she told him indignantly.
He grinned down at her. ‘I know it.’
She acknowledged his teasing with a smile before turning to look at the approaching couple. What she saw made her gasp, and her face pale. Pushing her way through the crowds of people was Tim’s sister Claire, looking breathtakingly beautiful as usual, her long sun-bleached blond hair waving glowingly down her back, her perfect face alight with pleasure, the deep red halter-necked dress she wore moulded to her slender curves.
But it wasn’t Tim’s sister who made her gasp, it was her escort. Looking arrogantly confident, his hand resting lightly on Claire’s elbow as he guided her towards their table, was Jason Earle! And by the look on his face as he recognised Eden he was no more pleased to see her here than she was him.
EDEN stared at him with open-mouthed amazement. Not because he had lied when he said he had a business dinner, she couldn’t give a damn about that; she was amazed because of what Tim had said about his sister and this man. If what Tim said was true, and she had no reason to doubt it, then the fact that this man was also involved with Isobel Morton put no restrictions on him at all.
The two men were shaking hands. ‘Good to see you again, Jason.’ Tim’s pleasure in meeting the other man again was obvious.
‘Tim,’ Jason Earle nodded his greeting.
‘Let me introduce you to Eden,’ Tim said with pride. ‘Eden, this is Jason Earle. Jason, my girl-friend, Eden Shaw.’
‘Miss Shaw,’ Jason Earle’s handshake was very formal, although the mocking enquiry in those steely grey eyes was not.
‘Mr Earle,’ she returned equally formally.
Claire sat down in the chair Jason pulled out for her, smiling goodhumouredly. ‘I hope you two are going to drop this Mr and Miss bit,’ she laughed. ‘Eden and Jason would be so much more friendly.’
Eden was well aware of that, which was why she intended to continue calling him Mr Earle. She had no wish to be friendly with him now or at any other time. How could he turn up here with Claire when according to her mother he was supposed to be escorting Isobel Morton? Didn’t he care if the other woman found out about Claire? Obviously not, by his behaviour in meeting Claire openly. He was probably as sure of Isobel Morton’s feelings towards him as he was of Claire’s.
He sat between Claire and herself, very much the man in control as he ordered drinks for them all. He turned to Claire. ‘Miss Shaw and I are not friends, and so unless she asks me to I couldn’t possibly call her by her first name.’
‘Oh, don’t be so chilling, Jason,’ Claire glowed up at him, looking much younger than her thirty years. ‘Forget your stiff English manners for once.’
He smiled at her. ‘It isn’t a question of my stiff English manners,’ he told her smoothly. ‘Miss Shaw may prefer me to be formal.’ He turned to look at her, those cold grey eyes seeming to read her thoughts.
‘Eden doesn’t mind, do you, honey?’ Tim put in.
Her eyes flashed her dislike as those steely grey eyes continued to look at her. Jason Earle had deliberately put her in this position, his quiet mockery telling her he knew exactly what she had intended doing. She looked away from him with a tightening of her mouth, sipping her drink before answering. ‘No, I don’t mind,’ she said finally. ‘Why should I?’
Jason Earle bowed his head in mock acknowledgement. ‘Thank you—Eden.’
She gave him a brittle smile. ‘That’s perfectly all right—Jason.’
‘Good, that’s settled then,’ Claire settled more comfortably in her seat, her hand reaching out to entwine with Jason’s. ‘We’ve just had a lovely meal, haven’t we, darling?’
‘It was—enjoyable,’ he agreed.
Claire laughed. ‘How you
