‘Because I’m honestly beginning to wonder if it wouldn’t have been better if you’d left me stranded out there on the rock! I’m sure I would have been able to get back under my own steam...eventually. Anyway,’ Bethany continued sharply, aware that her lie about saving herself hadn’t sounded the least bit convincing, ‘that’s not the point! Theo’s whole demeanour was that of someone who had been drinking and you let her walk out of here——’
‘She hadn’t touched a drop!’ Chad’s voice was sharp. ‘Will you stop ranting on about drinking and driving, Bethany! Theo’s an actress; she’s got an early call in the morning. Whatever else she may do, she takes her career very seriously indeed and alcohol is a definite no-no as far as she’s concerned, especially on the eve of a big job.’
Bethany frowned. She had supposed the reference to leggy blondes to be just a wild accusation made in a fit of alcoholic rage. If Theo had been sober...The picture of Chad in bed with any number of beautiful women sprang unasked for into her mind. ‘But she acted as though she’d had a few...’ Bethany began, thrusting away the vision, sickened by the fact that she could so nearly have joined their number.
Chad inhaled a breath and shrugged impatiently. ‘Theo’s always like that. It’s just her way. The old seductress routine maybe, I don’t know——’
‘Oh, come on!’ Bethany felt anger surge at his indifferent response. ‘You don’t expect me to believe that it was she who brought you here?’ she delivered with disbelieving venom. ‘That you were the innocent party being led astray! You upset her! You used her!’ Bethany accused wildly. The need to be perverse was overwhelming suddenly. She hated Chad Alington for causing this emotional turbulence that seemed to have risen out of nowhere. She had spent months and months trying to regain her equilibrium, trying to forget about her past life with Philip, and now here she was, here he was, stirring up her well-ordered thoughts and responses.
‘Your concern for Theo’s welfare is extremely touching,’ Chad replied tightly. ‘But, Bethany, the woman is as hard as nails! Surely you worked that out for yourself! She can be good fun, but she can also be quite a bitch when she wants to be. Tonight’s performance is not unusual by any means, believe me!’
‘Oh, isn’t that just convenient!’ Bethany snapped. ‘She can take care of herself, so that absolves you from all blame! My God! You men really are all the same! You just take what you want and never a thought for anyone else’s feelings!’
‘Both Theo and I are adults, well over the age of consent!’ Chad thundered. ‘We see each other from time to time on a casual basis—an arrangement that suits her as much as it does me.’ He reached out a hand and dragged Bethany to a halt on the bottom-most tread. ‘Do you have to be so damned naive?’ His eyes flashed to the smooth pale face in front of him. ‘Theo can take care of herself. Didn’t she prove that tonight? After all, I’m the one who’s been stranded out here. So save your sympathy—she wouldn’t thank you for it!’
‘Don’t patronise me!’ Bethany, fighting for self-control, pulled her arm free from his hold and glared furiously up into Chad’s angular face.
‘You’re upset because of what Theo said, aren’t you?’ he murmured, with a sigh of exasperation. ‘Can’t you see she just used that reference to women in my bed to cause trouble?’
‘I suppose you’re going to tell me now that there isn’t a grain of truth in it!’ Bethany responded frostily. ‘What was the seduction routine at my cabin this afternoon, if it wasn’t just another in a long line of calculated operations? Well, come on!’ she demanded shakily. ‘Lie to me! After all, I’m so incredibly naive! I’m bound to fall for any yarn you care to spin! Go on! Tell me what Theo said wasn’t true!’ She was shaking with emotion. This arrogant, autocratic man thought he knew it all, had already decided she was a silly little slip of a girl who had no idea about the real world...real life...
‘Would there be any point?’ Chad enquired bitingly. ‘It seems to me that whatever I say is only going to incense you more.’
‘Damned right it is!’ Bethany replied instantly. ‘Hell! You men are all the same——!’
‘Bethany, be quiet!’ His voice was deeply scathing, bored almost. ‘I’m becoming sick of that clichéd phrase! You’re talking absolute rubbish! Stop using this fit of temper as a shield to hide behind because you can’t handle the fact that we almost made love——’
‘How dare you?’ She couldn’t believe he was actually saying this to her. ‘How dare you stand there and presume certain things that are in no way true——?’
‘They’re true,’ Chad cut in tersely. ‘You wouldn’t be reacting this way if they weren’t. What happened this afternoon came about because we both wanted it, and you know it. You’re no woman of the world, Bethany, whatever you may like me to believe.’ His gaze was sharp and direct. ‘OK, at this particular moment you’re not being particularly sweet, but you are young and you are——’
‘Don’t you dare call me innocent!’ Bethany turned from him, all the old familiar scenes whirring around in her brain, making her want to be sick. Philip, in those few short months of married life, had rid her of all innocence the very first chance he had got—how could she ever forget that? ‘How can you be so...so cruel?’
‘Bethany!’ Chad caught hold of her and turned her to face him, his eyes scouring her frantic face. ‘Cruel? What is all this, for heaven’s sake? What’s wrong with you?’
‘Wrong with me?’ Bethany forced a choking kind of laugh. Given half a chance, she thought, I could quite easily become hysterical. ‘Oh, nothing much! Certainly nothing for the likes of you to worry about——’
‘Bethany, I get the distinct impression that I’m missing something here—missing something important. Care to quit raising your voice and tell me about it?’
‘Stop treating me like an idiot!’ She glared up into the handsome face, disturbed by the seemingly sincere expression. ‘You don’t honestly expect me to trust someone like you, do you?’ He was confusing her and it wasn’t fair. How could he be so arrogant and blunt one minute and full of perceptive persuasion the next? ‘I don’t even want you to take me back home!’ She had forced her voice to sound scathing, derisive. Better that than weak and full of uncertainty, surely?
‘Right!’ He moved with lightning speed and in one swift movement had lifted Bethany right off her feet. ‘That suits me just fine!’
‘What...what do you think you’re doing?’ she cried shakily. ‘Put me down at once! Are you listening to me? Put me down, damn you!’ Bethany struggled, but with difficulty; her waxed coat was bulky and awkward. The air-rifle fell to the floor with a clatter as she did her best to break free from Chad’s firm hold. ‘You’re mad!’ she cried furiously, trying to push away from the solid, broad frame. ‘Absolutely mad! I didn’t mean I didn’t want to go home at all!’ she screeched. ‘Stop this at once! Stop treating me like an idiot, will you?’
‘Stop behaving like one, then!’ They were back upstairs in an instant. Chad pushed the door open with his shoulder and re-entered the room. ‘Welcome once again to my harem,’ he drawled provokingly, setting her without too much finesse on to one of the large, soft floor cushions. ‘Now take your coat off!’
Bethany gazed nervously up into Chad’s face. ‘Wh-what?’
‘You heard.’ He bent down beside her and began, with competent fingers, to slip the coat from Bethany’s shoulders.
