Nick cut into David's servile excuses after the first sentence. 'We might just keep this civilised if you disappear right now,' he said grimly, 'but don't push your luck, David. Not tonight. Ah, Fiona...' As the blonde appeared with a puzzled expression on her pretty face, Nick waved his hand at David, saying, 'I'm afraid David is indisposed but I'm sure he'll see you safely home. Goodnight.'

As Nick took Cory's arm and walked her away, he murmured, 'Do you want a few minutes to compose yourself before we join the others?'

Did birds fly? Her head was spinning and she didn't know if she was on foot or horseback. She nodded, and the next minute she found herself ensconced in the c.o.c.ktail bar, which was now almost completely deserted. Sinking down on to a seat, she said faintly, 'What will you do to him?'

'Don't worry about David Blackwell; his type always come up smelling of roses.' As the waiter came over, Nick said to her, 'Another c.o.c.ktail?'

'Is it possible to have a coffee instead?' She felt a little tipsy as it was.

'Make that two, please.'

The waiter looked as though he was going to protest for a moment, but after a glance at Nick's face he said quickly, 'Two coffees it is, sir,' and disappeared.

'For the record, there have been no hand-outs.' Nick looked her straight in the eye. 'It's true Martin didn't want to relinquish the reins but we reached a compromise where we're both happy. Unfortunately the guy's too soft for his own good and has carried a lot of dead wood for years-like David Blackwell-so there will be changes to be made. I'm sure David's got wind of that and is feeling threatened.'

'I think he feels a lot more threatened now.'

'With good cause.' And then so suddenly that it made Cory catch her breath, his face changed, his voice warm and throaty as he said, 'Thanks for being on my side out there.'

She didn't know what to say. She shrugged uncomfortably. If he'd heard the bit about the hand-outs he'd been there longer than she would have liked.

Like before, he seemed to know what she was thinking, his voice now holding a thread of amus.e.m.e.nt when he murmured, 'I especially liked the bit about me being a real man.'

'A gentleman wouldn't mention he'd heard that,' she said, knowing she'd gone a bright crimson.

'I thought we'd already ascertained that I'm not a gentleman.' His smile lit the flame inside again and this time it burnt stronger.

Cory was very glad when the coffee arrived a moment later.

CHAPTER THREE.

CONTRARY to what she had expected after the unpleasant incident with David Blackwell, Cory found she thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the evening. to what she had expected after the unpleasant incident with David Blackwell, Cory found she thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the evening.

When they returned to the table Nick said briefly that David was feeling unwell and had had to leave early. Which was true in a way. The other man had certainly looked green about the gills when they'd left him.

No one seemed particularly concerned or interested that David and Fiona were no longer with them; in fact with the young man's departure the whole group seemed more relaxed and natural, in Cory's opinion. She wondered just how much David had been whispering in people's ears about Nick. A little yeast could very quickly work through a batch of dough, and David had seemed resentful of Nick as a person as well as an employer, as the remarks about Nick being popular with the ladies had shown.

Everyone stayed right to the end of the evening at three o'clock, whereupon they all declared they'd had a night to remember. Cory could agree with this as a good part of it had been spent in Nick's arms on the dance floor.

She'd put the idea of going home in a taxi to one side. Somehow the episode with David had taken her and Nick beyond such a thing. Now, as everyone said goodnight amid hugs and handshakes, the possibility that Nick might expect more than a goodnight peck was at the forefront of her mind. It excited her as much as it scared her. She couldn't get involved with Nick-every nerve and bone in her body was telling her so. He was way, way out of her league in every respect.

He'd probably not want to see her again anyway. Men the whole world over seemed capable of nipping in and out of bed with this woman or that without it really meaning a thing to them and, from what David had said, Nick was never short of female company.

But she was jumping the gun here. He hadn't suggested bed. He hadn't suggested anything.

Slow down, she warned herself silently. Stop panicking. You are a grown woman of twenty-five who is more than capable of taking care of herself in every way, not a fifteen-year-old schoolgirl.

They waited until all of Nick's guests were safely on their way home in the fleet of taxis he'd ordered, and then he led her over to the Mercedes, which was parked across the road. 'Care to come back to my place for a nightcap?' he asked softly as he opened the car door for her.

'No.' It was too quick and now she moderated her refusal with a smile as she said, 'I'm exhausted; it's been a long day.'

He nodded, joining her in the car and sliding the gla.s.s panel which separated them from the driver to one side. 'Back to Miss James's place please, George,' he said quietly before closing it shut again and then pulling a blind down so they were now quite private.

Cory went into overdrive. More fl.u.s.tered than she'd ever been in her life, she searched for something, anything, to distract him. Then she found herself saying, 'I wondered if we'd see your friend, Alex, tonight but he didn't appear.'

'He's in the States.'

'Really?' She was burningly aware of a hard male thigh against hers. 'On holiday or business?'

'Holiday.'

'In what state?' she gabbled. 'America's such a huge country, isn't it, and so fascinating. I think-'

She never did tell him what she thought because he kissed her. Really kissed her. And it was everything she'd imagined it might be. Hot, stunningly sweet and altogether mind-blowing.

She could tell he was devastatingly experienced, a man who would know a woman's weakness and just how to use it for his own advantage in the seduction stakes. The warning in her mind was there but it didn't mean a thing while his mouth was working its magic and his arms were pressing her close to his hardness.

Almost leisurely, he explored her mouth until her heart thudded wildly against the steady beat of his and she was kissing him back in total surrender.

This was crazy, insane. She knew that, knew she had to call a halt before things got out of hand, but it was impossible with her blood singing through her veins and molten lava in the pit of her stomach. His hands were clever, stroking her arms and the smooth roundness of her shoulders until her skin was on fire with his caresses.

She gave herself over totally to the kiss, knowing the danger of letting herself become vulnerable to this man but unable to help herself. He kissed so well; she had never been kissed like this in all her life. She'd found most men used a kiss as a preliminary to other things but Nick seemed in no hurry to progress, seemingly enjoying her mouth as much as she was relishing his.

His hands moved up to her hair and within a moment it was falling down about her shoulders, silky soft and smelling of apple blossom shampoo. His fingers tangled themselves in the rich strands, using them to draw her head backwards to allow him greater access to the sensitive skin of her throat.

Cory moaned softly, her hands sliding over the powerful male chest muscles flexing beneath his shirt. The faint scent of aftershave she'd noticed earlier was teasing her nostrils again, its essence wild and dangerous, feeding her desire with its elusive aroma.

She heard him whisper her name as his mouth came back to hers, his voice husky. She knew what he wanted because she wanted it too, and it didn't seem to matter where they were or what the rest of the world was doing.

The thought was enough to bring her abruptly to her senses. This was a William Patterson situation all over again. He'd He'd had charisma and that extra something which was undefinable but which made a woman go weak at the knees. had charisma and that extra something which was undefinable but which made a woman go weak at the knees. He He had pursued her, using his wealth and magnetism to dazzling effect until she hadn't known if black was white. She'd been wary at first. Why would a man like William, fifteen years older than her, rich, successful, be bothering with a little n.o.body fresh out of university? She'd been right to be wary. She should have gone on being wary... had pursued her, using his wealth and magnetism to dazzling effect until she hadn't known if black was white. She'd been wary at first. Why would a man like William, fifteen years older than her, rich, successful, be bothering with a little n.o.body fresh out of university? She'd been right to be wary. She should have gone on being wary...

She had stopped kissing Nick back and unconsciously stiffened as the memories had flooded in, and now she became aware that he had picked up on her withdrawal as he drew away. 'What's wrong?' he asked very quietly, but without the annoyance or irritation she'd half-expected.

'I...I don't do this, not on the first date.' Although it wasn't a date, as she'd reminded him this evening. Which made everything a hundred times worse.

'You don't kiss?'

His voice was still without expression and, because she could only catch glimpses of his face now and again by the light of pa.s.sing streetlamps, she had no idea if he was angry or not. She didn't know how to answer him. How could she say that what they'd just shared had been more than a kiss, at least to her? That would give all the wrong signals. And to admit she had presumed it was the prelude to something more would be even worse.

Cory swallowed. 'Not like this, no.'

'Like this?'

'In...in the back of a car.' She swallowed again. 'A goodnight kiss on the doorstep is one thing, but this is more...'

'Intimate?' he finished for her.

'Yes.'

'Nice, though.' There was warmth in his voice now and she was glad of the darkness to hide her burning cheeks. There was a pause and then he said, 'OK, no more kissing until I deposit you on your doorstep.' Before she could resist, his arm had gone round her and he drew her into his side, holding her against him, pushing her head down on to his shoulder. 'Relax,' he said softly. 'Shut your eyes and think of that doorstep.'

'Nick-'

'No more talking, not unless you want me to remember I'm not a gentleman.'

Relax he'd said, with every nerve she possessed tw.a.n.ging and her heart thumping fit to burst at his closeness.

It seemed a long, long time until the Mercedes purred to a halt outside the flat. Cory knew exactly how a jelly must feel.

'Your doorstep awaits, Ma'am.' The deep voice was smoky with amus.e.m.e.nt.

From some unexpected reserve of self-preservation, Cory managed to feign sleepiness as she raised her head from the pillow of his shoulder. 'Are we here?' she mumbled, pretending to yawn. 'I must have been dozing.'

He didn't challenge her on the lie, but there was a distinctly quizzical slant to his mouth as he exited the car and then helped her out.

The night air wasn't cold-in fact there was a humid balminess to the shadowed street which suggested another hot June day in store-but Cory shivered as his big hand closed over her fingers. When she was standing on the pavement she tried to gently disentangle herself from his hold, but Nick was having none of it.

Instead he pulled her to the front door of the house. 'Come on,' he said coolly. 'In we go.'

'There's no need for you to come up,' she protested quickly. 'Thank you for a lovely evening and-'

'I'm seeing you to your front door.' It was spoken in a tone which brooked no argument. 'I'd never forgive myself if a mad axeman was lying in wait,' he added with every appearance of seriousness.

She didn't trust the solemnity any more than she trusted him. 'I hardly think that's likely.'

'No? You want to look at the news and read the papers more often. Rape, pillage, mayhem and destruction are all part of the world we live in,' he said cheerfully. 'Do you want me to open the door?'

'I'm quite capable, thank you.' Having said that the keys had got themselves jammed in the lining of the purse somehow, and it took a few moments to yank them free under his amused gaze.

Once inside the hall, Cory whispered, 'You'll have to be very quiet. The people on this floor have a dog that hears the slightest thing and then barks enough to wake the dead.'

'Wonderful,' Nick murmured sarcastically.

'It is, actually. It makes everyone feel very safe.'

'Haven't they heard of burglar alarms?'

A low growl from across the hall persuaded Cory to give up the argument. She slipped off her sandals preparatory to climbing the stairs and, as she straightened, he whispered, 'You've just lost about five inches. What have you been walking on all night, stilts?'

She couldn't help giggling. 'You wait till you see my gla.s.s eye and wooden leg.'

'I can't wait.'

As they reached the first landing where her flat was all amus.e.m.e.nt left Cory however. Was he expecting to be asked in for a nightcap? Was he expecting to be asked in for something else? Or both? But she'd made it plain how she felt in the car-she hoped. But if he kissed her again...

'Thank you for a lovely evening,' she began.

'You've already done that bit.' He had to bend further to kiss her this time now she was minus the sandals, and it was still more satisfying than the most expensive chocolate. All the feelings he'd aroused in the car were there, and her arms were just beginning to snake up to his shoulders when she was free. 'Goodnight, Cory,' he said blandly.

Goodnight? She stared at him, totally taken aback, before she pulled herself together. 'Goodnight,' she said quickly. 'And I meant what I said, by the way. It was a lovely evening.'

He smiled, his eyes glittering in the dim light on the landing. 'I thought so.' His hand reached out and stroked the silky skin at the side of her face below her ear.

Cory had never realised there were so many nerveendings in one place. Should she ask him in and blow the consequences? The force of the temptation was so strong it was enough to kill it. Besides, he had already turned and walked to the head of the stairs.

'Sleep well,' he said lazily.

He wasn't going to ask to see her again. Well, she'd expected pretty much that, hadn't she? And if he had, she'd determined she'd say no anyway.

'Fancy lunch tomorrow?'

Her heart did an Olympic leap and then raced for gold. The moment of truth. Remember William. Remember William. She didn't want to remember William, she wanted to say yes. Which was why it had to be no. 'Lunch?' she repeated weakly. She didn't want to remember William, she wanted to say yes. Which was why it had to be no. 'Lunch?' she repeated weakly.

'You know, that meal in between breakfast and dinner?'

It was easier when he was being sarcastic. 'I don't think so, thank you.'

'Why not?' He rested his arms on the banister, his face full of sharply defined planes and angles in the shadows.

'Because-' She hesitated. Should she lie and say she had a prior engagement? But he'd only suggest another time. 'Because I'm not dating at the moment.'

'The work thing.' He shook his head. 'Not a good enough reason when your dog d.a.m.n near broke my back.'

'I've made recompense for that,' she said indignantly. 'And Rufus isn't my dog anyway.'

'You were in charge of him.' He grinned. 'Do you want to see my bruises?'

'Not particularly.' He was doing the charm bit again and it was lethal. Good job William had made her immune to such ploys.

'There are women who'd die for the privilege.'

'I don't doubt it.' She was determined not to smile.

'I'll be back at midday. There's a great little pub I know where the roast beef melts in the mouth and the Yorkshire puddings are more than puffs of air.'

'I've told you, I'm not dating,' she said severely.

'And I've told you, this isn't a date but more paying off your debt. I don't like to eat Sunday lunch alone.' He straightened. 'OK?' he threw over his shoulder as he began to walk down the stairs.

Not OK. Definitely not OK, but it was like saying no to a brick wall. She followed him to the top of the stairs, looking down at his back as she hissed, 'Nick, I'm not having Sunday lunch with you.'

'Twelve sharp.' He turned just long enough for her to see the flash of his white teeth in the darkness. 'And I'm not backing off, Cory, so accept with good grace.'