Undying Love. Carole Mortimer

me you were all going to a dinner party this evening.’

      ‘You arrogant—My God, I can’t believe this!’ she shook her head. ‘You have the cheek of the devil!’

      He nodded. ‘Some people have even claimed we’re related,’ he said with amusement. ‘But I doubt Alice would understand if you tried to explain the true facts to her. She’s a romantic lady, and she thinks that by seeing me you’re finally getting your life back together after your husband’s death. Don’t ruin her evening, will you?’ he mocked.

      ‘What about mine?’ she bit out.

      ‘Yours is already ruined,’ he shrugged dismissively. ‘Look, I’ll be on my best behaviour, okay?’

      ‘That isn’t good enough! I don’t——’

      ‘Behave yourself!’ Rick rasped as Henry and Janice walked over to join them. ‘Save your insults for when we’re alone and stop behaving like a child! Just think of this as an exercise in employer/employee relations.’

      ‘I don’t want any sort of “relations” with you,’ she snapped.

      He gave her a mocking smile before turning to charm her brother and Janice. The last thing she needed was an example of his lethal charm at work, and she was too angry to notice the curious looks her brother kept shooting her. And she didn’t want to feel angry either, didn’t want to feel anything for this man, not even dislike.

      ‘By the way, Henry,’ Rick gave Shanna a sideways glance, ‘Shanna has already introduced me to some of the staff at Fashion Lady.’

      Henry frowned his puzzlement. ‘She has?’

      ‘Mm,’ Rick nodded. ‘Only casually, of course, on our way out to lunch.’

      Henry looked even more puzzled. And well he might after her vehement avowal of dislike of Rick Dalmont over the weekend. To all intents and purposes she had already lunched with him today, and now she was spending the evening with him too!

      Rick’s arm moved about her waist, pulling her close against his side. ‘And how could I resist your sister when she asked me out so persuasively?’ he added throatily.

      ‘Shanna invited you out to lunch?’ Henry was astounded—and unable to hide it.

      Before Shanna could defend any such misconception dinner was announced, and to her chagrin Alice had put Rick Dalmont next to her at the table. His smile of triumph was enough to make her ignore him throughout the meal, although this only seemed to amuse him. Trying to reject this man was like hitting her head against a brick wall, and she just didn’t know what to do next. How pleased he would be if he even knew he was succeeding that far!

      ‘I like your friends,’ he told her as they circulated after the meal, his hand on her arm refusing to be shaken off as she would have gone alone to speak to Henry and Janice.

      ‘They like you too,’ she muttered, knowing he had been at his most pleasant as they spoke to the people she knew at this dinner party, his hold on her enough claim of possession for him at the moment. In this lazily charming mood it would be difficult for anyone to dislike him, but she knew the other side of him too well to be fooled for a moment; when thwarted this man was lethal. ‘I think I’d like to leave now,’ she said tightly.

      ‘What a good idea,’ he nodded. ‘Let’s go and make our excuses.’

      ‘You don’t have to leave with me,’ she faced him.

      He quirked one dark brow. ‘Now wouldn’t it look a little odd if you left and I stayed?’

      ‘That didn’t seem to bother you earlier when you arrived without me!’

      ‘Ah, but I had a good excuse for that.’ He looked at her mockingly.

      ‘All right,’ she agreed tightly. ‘We’ll leave together.’

      ‘Could I have a word with Henry before we go?’

      ‘Why not?’ Her voice was taut, her nerves at breaking point. ‘You seem to do everything else you want to!’

      Rick laughed softly. ‘I’m glad you realise it.’

      ‘Almost everything,’ she amended hardly.

      His chuckle deepened. ‘Let’s go and see Henry,’ he prompted lightly.

      Her brother was looking very pleased with himself when they joined his group, and Shanna didn’t need two guesses as to the reason for that; he believed she had decided to accept Rick Dalmont after all. She could have told him she intended leaving Rick Dalmont as soon as they were out of Steven and Alice’s door, and she didn’t intend being caught in this position again. So much for keeping one step ahead!—she had taken half a dozen backwards this evening.