Give A Man A Bad Name. Roberta Leigh

were you trying to tell me?’ Marly asked as she reached her side.

      ‘I wanted to know if you needed rescuing.’

      ‘Every woman under the age of fifty needs rescuing from that man! Talk about charm.’ Marly lowered her voice, laughter trembling in it. ‘Believe it or not, he thinks I’m Thai. He wants me to have dinner with him but isn’t sure whether he has to ask my parents’ permission!’

      Nan stifled a giggle. ‘That must be a first time for him, then.’

      Marly nodded, then narrowed her eyes as a thought struck her. A man who had treated Andrea the way Alex Hamilton had clearly had little respect for women. Yet how deferentially he was behaving towards the unliberated girl he thought her to be. And not just deferential, but anxious to know her better. Was that because he believed her to be different from the girls he usually favoured? If so, he had just given her a golden opportunity to teach him a well deserved lesson.

      Instead of enlightening him, she would continue with her act until he had fallen for her hook, line and sinker. Only then would she disclose her identity, and he would discover that a woman had finally given him his come-uppance, instead of the other way around!

      ‘What scheme are you cooking up?’ Nan enquired, recognising from old the mischievousness on Marly’s face.

      Slanting a glance in Alex Hamilton’s direction, and seeing him still watching her, she hurriedly answered her friend’s question.

      ‘You’ll never be able to keep it up,’ Nan gasped.

      ‘Yes, I will. I can’t go into it now, there’s no time, but we’ll talk it over later.’

      Leaving Nan still protesting, she glided back to the man waiting for her and gave him a respectful wai. ‘Thank you for being so patient.’

      ‘You’re worth waiting for,’ he responded, smoky eyes serious.

      For answer, she lowered her head.

      ‘You work here obviously,’ he went on, ‘or you wouldn’t have been in the show, but I don’t remember seeing you around.’

      ‘Why should you? You employ so many people.’

      ‘I wouldn’t miss you.’

      ‘I only started a few days ago.’

      ‘That explains it, then. What do you do?’

      ‘I—I’m a—’

      ‘Never mind,’ he cut in, eyes ranging over her butterfly-wing cheong-sam and back to her face. ‘You look pale. If you’re tired, I’ll drive you home.’

      ‘I’m not tired,’ she replied softly. ‘If your dinner invitation is still open, I will be honoured to accept. You are an important man, and I know my parents would not object.’

      ‘That’s marvellous.’ Alex Hamilton could not quite hide his elation. ‘There are a few people I should say hello to first, then we’ll go.’

      ‘As you wish,’ she murmured.

      ‘Give me fifteen minutes.’

      As he moved off, Nan rushed to her side. ‘You were fantastic! Carry on as you are, and you’ll have him eating out of your hand.’

      ‘If he doesn’t bite it off first!’

      ‘Are you kidding? From the way he was ogling you, it won’t take you long to bring him to his knees. It’s my bet he’ll proposition you before the year’s out.’

      ‘That’s still ten days away,’ Marly hissed, watching the tall, athletic figure circulate among the hotel guests and staff, every movement relaxed and unhurried, his smile sincere and unforced. ‘What do I do when I meet him as his computer expert after Christmas? Keep acting gentle and acquiescent?’

      ‘Obviously. That’s if you want to finish what you’ve started.’

      ‘Oh, I do. When I remember how dreadful Andrea looked... Yes, I will do it.’

      ‘He’s coming back. Good luck.’

      Nan melted away, and Marly softened her features as she turned to face Alex.

      Gently he took her elbow and steered her from the room and across the grey and blue carpeted lobby to the entrance, where a chauffeur stood holding open the back door of a silver-grey Mercedes.

      Settling in the soft leather seat, she was all too aware of the man close beside her, the spicy scent of his aftershave prickling her nose, the warmth of his body seeming to permeate hers, even though he had made no move to touch her. Watch it, she warned herself. You’re supposed to be paying him back for the way he treated Andrea, not falling for him yourself!

      ‘We’re dining at the Shangri-la,’ he said. ‘Is that all right with you?’

      ‘Of course, Mr Hamilton. I’m happy to go wherever you wish to take me.’

      He gave her a quick glance, as if not sure whether she was teasing, but her calm stare assured him otherwise, and he gave a little sigh of satisfaction.

      ‘Not Mr Hamilton, Marly, my name is Alex.’

      ‘I couldn’t call you that. You are my employer and it wouldn’t be seemly.’

      ‘But I’m asking you to do it.’

      ‘No, it is not the custom.’

      ‘I don’t believe I’m hearing this,’ he muttered.

      ‘I’m sorry if I’ve offended you.’ Putting her palms together, she lowered her head till her chin touched the tops of her fingers in a traditional wai. ‘I do not wish to make you angry, but—’

      ‘I’m not in the least angry. In fact, I think you’re very sweet.’

      If only you knew, she thought, doing her best to look demure. ‘And I think you’re very nice, Mr Hamilton.’

      ‘I hope you’ll let me show you just how nice I can be,’ he said gruffly.

      Beginning to enjoy herself, she gave a laugh, but made no reply.

      ‘We’ve arrived,’ he stated as their car eased up a ramp and came to a stop outside the entrance of the Shangri-la. Not waiting for the chauffeur, he opened his door and hurried round to help her out, cradling her hand in his as he did, and not releasing it.

      She could not believe he normally acted this way with his girlfriends, and stifled a giggle at his oldfashioned behaviour.

      ‘May I have my hand back?’ she whispered. ‘It is not seemly for you to touch me in public.’

      ‘Sorry.’ He dropped it fast, but as they entered the vast reception area, milling with people, and a stout man toting a camera backed into her, he automatically cupped his hand under her elbow in a protective gesture, then gave another strangled ‘sorry’ and let it go.

      ‘In this instance it is quite seemly for you hold my arm, Mr Hamilton,’ Marly said, struggling hard not to laugh.

      ‘Then I’ll have to make sure we’re always in a crowd,’ he came back fast, ‘because I like the feel of your skin!’

      Awarding him full marks for making the most of the situation, Marly glided along beside him. She had been out with many tall men, but there was something about this one that made her feel extra-tiny and helpless. Perhaps it was the aura of invincibility that emanated from him. The divine right of the arrogant male, she supposed, and as she remembered Andrea’s tear-stained face, her resolve to give him a taste of his own medicine hardened.

      CHAPTER THREE

      ‘WHICH of the Shangri-la restaurants do you fancy going to?’ Alex Hamilton asked Marly. ‘They have several.’

      ‘I