Just being near him again like this was doing strange things to her. Her cheeks felt permanently hot, her stomach was churning nervously. And as his hand held hers-his thumb was lightly caressing her palm now-she trembled all over.

She had to get away from him-and it was no longer just for Matthew's sake!

Rik watched Sapphie from beneath lowered lids, able to feel the turmoil inside her through her hand as it trembled slightly in his. He could also see the flush in her cheeks, and the vulnerability of her neck and throat, which were exposed by the way her hair was swept up in softly loose tendrils that lightly caressed her nape and temples.

His lips longed to caress her too!

She looked absolutely beautiful this evening: her gold-coloured silk dress shimmered against her curves, the high-necked knee-length style somehow managing to look as s.e.xy as h.e.l.l.

Although he had to admit, she could probably have worn a sack and he would still have found her s.e.xy!

This last week of waiting to see her again had seemed more like a month to him, his patience stretched to its limits as he chafed against the delay. Nik had been the one to arrange their presence at tonight's party. Rik hadn't dared risk even a breath of his own attendance reaching Sapphie's ear; he knew her well enough by now to know that she would simply not have come if she'd known he was going to be here as well.

It had done absolutely nothing for his ego to admit that, and Nik had laughed himself almost to tears once Rik had explained the situation to him. Especially as it turned out that Nik knew a lot more about Diamond McCall than Rik ever had; apparently, her flirtations with her leading men were legendary amongst the movie set, and she'd even tried it on with Zak on one memorable occasion, but had failed miserably because of Zak's aversion to being involved with married women.

Rik still inwardly winced at Nik's reaction when he'd told his brother he had thought himself in love with Dee for the last five years. 'With Diamond McCall?' Nik had exclaimed. 'The woman is a walking, talking Venus fly-trap!'

'That really isn't helping Rik right now, darling,' Jinx had reproved concernedly.

Thank goodness for Jinx! She had been the one to come up with this evening's party as a way for him to see Sapphie again, even offering her own and Nik's presence as moral support. Knowing how much she hated these things, Rik had deeply appreciated-and quickly accepted-the offer, on the basis that Sapphie was less likely to just tell him to go away in front of his family!

'That was work, Sapphie,' her mother gently refuted her protest. 'I can easily take the car home that Jerome has put at our disposal this evening,' she offered. 'And you can come along later,' she urged evenly, smiling approvingly at Sapphie's hand, which was still held fast by Rik's.

Joan McCall wasn't part of the conspiracy to get Rik and Sapphie together, but at that moment she might just as well have been, Rik acknowledged admiringly.

Although he wasn't quite so pleased a second later when Sapphie pointedly removed her hand from his, obviously having also seen her mother's smiling approval.

Sapphie shook her head. 'You know I have an early start in the morning-'

'It isn't going to matter if you sleep in a little this once, Sapphie,' her mother insisted firmly. 'I want you to stay and have fun this evening. In fact, I insist upon it,' Joan McCall told her eldest daughter determinedly. 'Matthew isn't going to mind a bit once I've explained it to him.' She smiled encouragingly.

Matthew...!

There was the mention of that man again!

But if he was in Sapphie's life, then why wasn't he here with her tonight?

d.a.m.n it, the one time Rik had casually mentioned this Matthew to Jerome, the other man had dismissed him as not being a problem.

But Matthew certainly seemed like one at the moment if it meant Sapphie had to leave early because of him!

Sapphie, surprisingly, had gone very quiet after her mother's last remark, a fact Joan took advantage of as she made her hurried goodbyes before crossing the room to say goodnight to her youngest daughter.

Dee, predictably, was at the centre of an adoring crowd, a brilliant green b.u.t.terfly shimmering above lesser mortals.

The vision left Rik cold. In fact, the more he learnt about Dee, the less he liked her. Why, oh, why hadn't he tried to find out more about her long ago? He could have saved himself years of heartache if he had. Forget Dee, he told himself impatiently, it was Sapphie who was important.

Sapphie was still incredibly quiet, he realised suddenly, and she seemed to have gone slightly pale now, too. Because her mother had mentioned Matthew? What sort of hold must the man have over her if she reacted in this way just at the mention of his name?

'If Matthew means so much to you, then why the h.e.l.l isn't he here tonight-?' Rik broke off abruptly as Nik began to cough as if he were choking. A frowning glance from Rik in Nik's direction was rewarded by an impatient glare from his brother. Cool it, Nik's angry grey eyes warned exasperatedly.

Rik gave an inward wince at that unspoken warning, glad of the diversion created by Jinx, who set about acquiring a gla.s.s of champagne-totally unnecessary, as it happened-to help ease her husband's coughing fit. It gave Rik a chance to regain his jealous temper.

Nik was right; what was he trying to do, alienate Sapphie before the evening was out? He had already known about Matthew; his mission tonight was to encourage Sapphie to get to know him, to like being with him-not to annoy her to the point where she decided to leave!

'He wasn't invited,' Sapphie answered him stiffly now. 'And I really don't think-'

'We were just about to retire to one of the hotel bars for a quiet drink,' Jinx put in, Nik's coughing fit over as he sipped his fresh champagne with obvious enjoyment. 'Come on, Nik,' she linked her arm with her husband's, 'let's go and see if we can find a nice, quiet corner somewhere for the four of us to sit.'

Briefly leaving Rik alone with Sapphie. A tongue-tied Rik, as it happened. He had been thinking of this moment all week, and now that it was here he just didn't know what to say. How did you go about explaining to a woman that the dream woman you had been in love with for the last five years was nothing but a figment of your own imagination? That in the short time he had spent with Sapphie she had become so much more real to him? That he liked listening to her talk? That he just liked being with her, full stop?

That he was falling in love with her!

If he wasn't already in love with her...

He had debated long and hard this last week how he felt about her. He knew that he longed to see her again. That he loved the way she spoke so honestly to him. That he found her company stimulating. That just looking at her excited him in a way he wouldn't have believed possible.

But he also knew from previous conversations with her that it was going to take a lot more than words to convince Sapphie he was no longer in love with Dee-although the simple truth of the matter was, he never had been!

'You look wonderful,' he volunteered.

Sapphie gave him a startled look from those incredible amber-coloured eyes of hers, obviously not expecting the compliment after his earlier sharpness-he really would have to try to control his jealousy. Thank goodness Nik had managed to stop him this time before he completely alienated Sapphie all over again!

'Incredibly beautiful, in fact,' Rik added softly, rewarded by the blush that heightened her cheeks.

But, despite the blush, she remarked, 'Dee has always been the beautiful one of the family!' He probably deserved that, Rik accepted. Until they'd met again last week, and he'd come to realise how feisty and beautiful Sapphie was; apart from the odd wistful thought of that pa.s.sionate night five years ago-and the odd guilty one too!-he hadn't really given Sapphie's feelings too much consideration. Sapphie had gone from his hotel suite the next morning before he'd even awoken; nothing, not even a tissue or used gla.s.s, had betrayed her presence there.

Not that Rik had told Nik and Jinx everything about what had happened when he'd slept with Sapphie; that would remain their secret, was no one else's business but their own!

'Shall we go and join the others?' Sapphie suggested stiffly. 'As it would appear that I'm not going to be allowed to leave until I've had at least one drink with you all!' she added impatiently before turning and striding off after Nik and Jinx.

At least, she tried to stride, but her dress, its silk material fitting snugly to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, waist and thighs to just above her knees, made it impossible for her to do more than take small, elegant steps.

Rik caught up with her easily, taking a light hold of her elbow, matching his steps to hers before grinning down at her. 'I'm beginning to like your dress more and more!'

Sapphie shot him an exasperated glare for his trouble.

But she didn't come back with one of her sharp put-downs. And she didn't try to pull away from him again, either.

It was a start...

CHAPTER EIGHT.

SAPPHIE was enjoying herself!

A glance at her wrist-watch told her it had been over an hour since she and Rik had joined Jinx and Nik in a quiet alcove in one of the hotel's public bars. An hour during which Nik had ordered another bottle of champagne to be served to the four of them and then he and his wife had gone out of their way, Sapphie was sure, to put her at her ease, regaling her and Rik with stories of the funnier side of their brief courtship and their marriage.

Sapphie was sure the champagne was helping her to relax too, but all the same, this meeting with Rik hadn't been as difficult as she had imagined it would be. There was no Dee around to sour things, for a start!

Although Sapphie still suspected that this whole encounter had been arranged by Rik, somehow. She wasn't sure how he had done it-or even why he should have bothered!-but she nevertheless felt the chance meeting with Nik and Jinx, and then Rik's appearance, had all been ch.o.r.eographed.

But she was still enjoying herself!

In fact, apart from that brief moment of panic earlier when her mother had mentioned Matthew, the evening had turned out to be nowhere near as traumatic as she had might have feared.

Apart from that brief moment of panic earlier when her mother had mentioned Matthew...!

At the time Sapphie had thought she was about to have a heart attack!

So far, mainly due to Dee's coy behaviour on the only other occasion Matthew's name had been mentioned, Rik seemed to have the impression that Matthew was the current man in her life, and certainly had no idea he was only four years old.

But he had come pretty close this evening to discovering the truth...

She shouldn't be enjoying herself, shouldn't relax her guard for a moment when she was around Rik!

'More champagne?' he offered attentively, holding the bottle over her half-empty wine gla.s.s.

'I don't think so, thank you,' she refused. 'I really should be going soon.'

Very soon. Before she relaxed too much and became incautious about what she said.

'Why?' Rik topped her champagne gla.s.s up anyway. 'I would have thought you worked from home.'

She did. But just because she might have had only a couple of hours' sleep didn't mean that her son-their son-wouldn't come bouncing into her bedroom at his usual six-thirty in the morning, expecting her to be as bright and happy as he was!

Admittedly she shared a house with her mother, and had done so since Matthew was born. But that was really only as moral support, Sapphie preferring, whenever possible, to take care of Matthew herself.

She absolutely adored him...!

'Actually, I think we're the ones who should be going,' Nik Prince put in lightly. 'My wife issued me with a challenge earlier this evening-I would like to go home and collect on my success!' He smiled suggestively at his wife as he stood up before pulling Jinx to her feet beside him. 'It's been really nice meeting you again, Sapphie,' he told her pleasantly, his arm about his wife's shoulders now.

'Very nice,' Jinx echoed warmly, obviously quite happy at the thought of going home. 'Perhaps the two of you would like to come to dinner, say-Sat.u.r.day evening?' she prompted brightly.

Sapphie blinked, taken totally aback by the invitation, let alone the phrase 'the two of you'!

Surely Nik and Jinx didn't think that she and Rik were really a couple? Admittedly, Rik had kissed her when he arrived, and held her hand for longer than was really necessary, but even so...

No, she decided as she watched the two brothers exchange a knowing look. This was another ploy on Rik's part, she was sure; the invitation had nothing to do with what had happened this evening and everything to do with preplanning on the part of the Prince family.

Her mouth set mutinously, she shot Rik a resentful glare as she stood up. 'No, I don't think-'

'How about I call you tomorrow, Jinx, and let you know?' Rik cut in smoothly as he stood up too. 'Sapphie probably has to check her diary or something.' His arm moved lightly about Sapphie's waist.

Her diary, as Sapphie well knew, was completely empty of future engagements; she just didn't like being manoeuvred in this way!

'No-'

'Yes, please do call me, Rik.' Jinx moved forward to kiss him warmly on the cheek before moving to do the same to Sapphie. 'I really have enjoyed meeting you this evening, Sapphie, and we'd love for you to come to dinner on Sat.u.r.day.' Her clear eyes looked steadily into Sapphie's.

There was no doubting the other woman's sincerity, just as there was no doubt in Sapphie's mind that she had enjoyed meeting Jinx and her husband. Rik was the problem here...just being anywhere near him.

Because she was so totally aware of him, found her defences weakening the longer she was with him. She'd already fallen into that trap once. Once was an accident, twice was just pure stupidity!

'I'll try,' she murmured noncommittally, very aware of the warmth of Rik's arm about her waist.

'Good.' Jinx squeezed her arm.

Sapphie managed to keep the smile on her lips for as long as it took Jinx and Nik to leave. At which time she turned furiously on Rik. 'You arranged all this!' she accused, eyes blazing. 'Your brother and his wife! The two of us meeting! The invitation to dinner on Sat.u.r.day evening!' She glared at Rik, breathing hard in her agitation.

Rik continued to look at her for several seconds, and then he nodded. 'Yes.'

Her eyes widened. 'What did you say?'

'I said yes,' he repeated patiently. 'It was all prearranged. The meeting with Nik and Jinx to break the ice. My own arrival a few minutes later. The dinner invitation just now.' He sighed. 'Why don't we sit down and-?'

'I don't want to sit down,' she flung back, stung by his easy acquiescence to her accusations; she had at least expected him to attempt to deny them! But then, when did Rik ever do what she expected him to do...? 'I want to know the reason you did all that.'

'I wanted to see you again. You made it very clear, the last time we met, that you didn't want to see me-'

'For obvious reasons!' Sapphie reminded him. 'Just because Dee stole the man I loved does not mean I need you to fill the gap!'

Rik gave a smile. 'Dee doesn't love me. She never did.' Sapphie knew that, knew that Dee loved Jerome as much as she was capable of loving anyone other than herself. But that didn't necessarily change the way Rik had always felt about Dee...

'That may be so,' Sapphie retorted. 'But you still love her-and she knows it.'

He quirked dark brows quizzically. 'I'm not answerable for what Dee does or doesn't know-or thinks she knows,' he replied softly.

She looked at him searchingly. What did he mean? Was he saying that...?

She gave an impatient shake of her head. 'I don't have the time for this.' She bent to pick up her evening bag. 'It's been-different,' she said. 'But now I have to go.' Because she was past anger, and now felt as if she was about to cry...!

'I'll walk outside with you and make sure you-'

'Rik-don't!' she choked, her head down, her vision now blurred by unshed tears. 'I-I like my life exactly the way that it is. I was happy! I don't want-don't want-'

'Sapphie, are you crying?' Rik groaned, lightly grasping her arm to turn her to face him. 'You are! d.a.m.n it-I never meant to make you cry!'

'Then what did you mean to do?' she demanded emotionally. 'Why go to all this trouble-?'