you’re just about the last person I expected to see.’
‘I’ve been in the United States for the past few weeks. In fact, I’ve come here straight from the airport,’ he said, brushing a tired hand through his thick, dark hair. ‘As I suspected when we were in Tahiti, it now looks as if the film’s financial problems have just about scuppered Mutiny on the Bounty.’
‘So, what else is new?’ she retorted caustically. ‘Anyone with half an eye could see that the film was going to be a Grade A flop.’
He shrugged. ‘Flop or not, I had to make sure that the financial backers honoured Craig’s contract. However, the time I spent in America wasn’t entirely wasted, because I’ve now decided to open an office in New York.’
‘Yes, well, I’m sure that’s all very interesting,’ she snapped, nervously tightening the belt of her robe and deeply resenting the way his tall figure, formally elegant in a dark suit, seemed to dominate even the large sitting room.
‘However, just in case you’ve forgotten,’ she continued grimly, ‘you sacked me some three weeks ago. So your current business plans have absolutely nothing to do with me. Right?’
‘Wrong,’ he retorted curtly, before giving an impatient sigh at the cold, stony expression on her face. ‘Relax—I haven’t come here to quarrel with you, Laura. So why don’t you come down off your high horse and give me a cup of coffee?’
‘A cup of coffee?’ she echoed blankly, completely astounded by the sheer nerve of the awful man. Did he really imagine that he could just casually swan back into her life, as if nothing had happened?
‘I’m feeling so jet-lagged that either coffee, tea or a stiff drink would be equally welcome,’ he explained with a weary shrug of his broad shoulders.
‘Quite frankly, Jack,’ she retorted grimly, ‘the only thing I feel like giving you is a very hard thump on the nose!’
He gave a short bark of wry laughter. ‘That’s what I love about you, darling—you’re all heart!’ he murmured, his lips curving into such a warm, infectious grin that her pulse seemed to miss a beat and she felt quite dizzy for a moment. ‘However, I would be grateful if you’d put that thump on hold for a while—because not only am I practically dying of thirst, but we obviously need to have a long talk.’
Five minutes later, and furious with herself for being so weak and feeble, Laura was swearing grimly under her breath as she removed two wineglasses from a kitchen cupboard, before moving over to explore the contents of the fridge.
What on earth was wrong with her? Why was she in here, meekly getting the beastly man his cold drink, when she should have given him a hefty kick in the shins and told him to get lost? Because she was spineless—that was why! she told herself glumly.
And what about all that good advice which she’d been giving herself over the past three weeks, and which now seemed to have been a complete waste of time? If all it took to reduce her stomach to rubble was a charming smile and a disturbing gleam in the slate-grey, heavy-lidded eyes of her ex-employer—currently making himself comfortable in her sitting room—it looked as if she was in deep, deep trouble.
On the other hand...tossing Jack out on his ear wasn’t really a viable course of action, she consoled herself miserably. For one thing, he was far taller and heavier than she was. And, if she was really honest, she didn’t entirely loathe the idea of what he’d referred to as ‘a long talk’. Especially as she intended to do all the talking! I’ll tell him his fortune, she promised herself grimly. By the time I’ve finished with that Casanova, he’ll definitely wish that he’d stayed celibate all his life!
‘I’m afraid the cupboard is rather bare at the moment. All I could find in the fridge was a bottle of white wine,’ she told him, carrying a tray through into the sitting room.
‘That’s fine,’ he murmured, rising from the long, comfortable sofa to take the glass from her hand. ‘I didn’t realise that you had such a glamorous apartment,’ he added, gazing up at the high lofty ceilings and the enormous windows draped in yards of billowing white muslin, through which could be seen a panoramic view of the rooftops of Soho. ‘Have you been here for some time?’
‘Unfortunately, no—and I won’t be able to remain here for much longer, either.’
‘Why ever not?’
‘Because the rat for whom I used to work threw me out of my job,’ she told him bitterly. ‘And, since the said rat has also failed to honour his promise of a handsome settlement, I now can’t afford to keep up the mortgage payments. All of which means that this apartment will be up for sale probably as of next week. However,’ she added caustically, ‘since you seem to like it so much, maybe you’d like to buy it for yourself?’
‘Oh, God—I’m sorry.’ He grimaced, brushing a hand roughly through his dark hair. ‘I’ve been so busy that I completely forgot...However, I promise to see that you get a large cheque first thing in the morning.’
She shrugged her slim shoulders. ‘That’s nice, but it doesn’t alter the fact that without a job I’ve got no real hope of being able to stay here. Have you got an answer to that small problem as well?’
‘Yes, as it happens, I think I have,’ he drawled. ‘But, before we get around to discussing the position I have in mind, we need to have a cool, calm and sensible discussion about what has happened in the past. However, that doesn’t seem likely at the moment,’ he added drily, his eyes glinting with amusement. ‘Not if you’re going to remain standing on the other side of the room, bearing a strong resemblance to Joan of Arc at the stake!’
‘At least Joan had got her priorities straight,’ Laura lashed back angrily. ‘She knew a slimy Englishman when she saw one!’
‘Why don’t you come and sit down over here and give me a chance to set the record straight?’ he drawled smoothly, clearly refusing to be provoked into a quarrel. ‘Surely it ought to be possible for the two of us to try to act like adult human beings?’
It all sounded very reasonable, but Laura wasn’t fooled by his mild, smooth tone of voice. Not for one minute! If that ruthless operator Jack Wilder thought that he was going to be able to sweet-talk her into putting up with any more of his nonsense, he definitely had another think coming! And it was no good him flashing that engagingly warm, oh, so charming smile in her direction, either. The man was nothing but a two-timing, heartless swine, and she certainly had no intention of forgetting that fact.
Still...well, he had briefly mentioned that he might have a position in mind for her. It was awful to be so mercenary, of course, but with her finances in such dire straits maybe she ought to at least listen to what he had to say?
‘OK,’ she sighed. ‘I’ll give you the opportunity to set the record straight. But you’ll have to cool your heels for a moment while I remove this wet towel from my head.’
Escaping to the sanctuary of her bedroom, and firmly closing the door behind her, Laura knew that she really didn’t have enough time to change out of her towelling robe. And she certainly had no intention of letting Jack think that she was prepared to make an effort just for his sake. All the same, she’d have to do something, she realised as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror, wincing with dismay at the sight of her pale, chalky-white face and bedraggled, wet auburn hair.
However, there was no law that said she couldn’t put on some make-up. And, in fact,
