Instant stardom two years ago had probably done that to him. It couldn’t be easy to be suddenly thrust into the public eye, to be recognised and looked at wherever you went. James had become accustomed to this adoration over a period of twenty years, this man had had two years to come to terms with it, and apparently he hadn’t yet done so.
But why should she be making excuses for his behaviour? She didn’t like him or his attitude towards women, and nothing he did could change that. ‘I was just going in to change when you arrived,’ she insisted. ‘If you’ll excuse me for a few minutes.’
‘Why don’t you sit down, Kate? I’m not going to harm you. I only came here to talk.’ Again he indicated that she should sit down.
‘Oh, all right,’ she agreed. ‘Just for a few minutes, then I really must go to my room.’ She sat down. ‘Why did you want to see James?’
‘No particular reason. I just thought that as we were shortly going to be working together I should try and improve diplomatic relations between us. James and I have had our disagreements in the past, a couple of them about you,’ he grinned at her. ‘But that’s all over now, now that you and James aren’t—well, now that you’re no longer James’ exclusive property.’
Kate frowned. ‘What does that have to do with anything? And why should you think that anyway?’
‘James has always given anyone he doesn’t approve of who comes within touching distance of you the hands-off signal. But that can no longer apply, not after your little evening out with Damien. I originally came here to see James,’ he added, ‘but in a way I’m glad he isn’t here, it gives me the opportunity to ask you out to dinner with me this evening. Will you come?’
Kate shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t do that, not this evening.’ Not any time if she could help it!
‘Then how about tomorrow?’
‘No, I’m sorry,’ again she refused, beginning to feel hot all over at the way his eyes slid over her body. He made her skin crawl. ‘I’m not sure what James’ plans are for tomorrow.’
He raised one eyebrow and lounged back comfortably in the chair. ‘Does it matter what he’s doing? I would have thought you could make your own arrangements now.’
‘You seem to have the wrong impression about me, Mr Strange. James and are I friends, nothing more. I’ve always been able to go out with whom I chose.’
‘I see.’ His blue eyes narrowed. ‘That isn’t the impression James gives. Does that mean that in the past it was your decision not to go out with me?’
She realised the trap she had set for herself too late. ‘I—well, I— Yes, I suppose so.’ She fidgeted with her sunglasses, embarrassed at her disclosure.
‘But you didn’t feel the same reluctance where Damien Savage was concerned?’ he asked softly.
Kate could tell by the dangerous glitter in his blue eyes that he was fast losing his temper, and he was well known for his rages, often made in public, and splashed across the front of the daily newspapers. She didn’t welcome being the cause of one of those rages. ‘No,’ she said softly, watching him closely.
‘So you’ve dropped James for Damien?’
‘Do you think it likely that I would still be living here if that were the case?’ She shook her head. ‘I told you, you have the wrong idea about myself and James. And I went out with Damien Savage for one night only. It won’t be repeated.’
‘Then why won’t you come out with me?’
Because she didn’t want to! Any normal man would have realised that by now. But not this man; he couldn’t accept disinterest, believing himself to be completely attractive to all women. She looked pointedly at her wrist-watch. ‘It’s getting late, Mr Strange. I must get out of this bikini.’
‘You haven’t answered my question yet, Kate. But I can wait. You’re worth waiting for. Go ahead and change, I’ll wait here.’
This plan didn’t please Kate at all. ‘I could be some time,’ she discouraged.
‘That’s okay, I’m in no hurry to leave.’
And he didn’t look as if he was, sitting quite relaxed as he looked up at her now standing figure. ‘In that case you may as well go into the lounge and help yourself to a drink. I’ll be as quick as I can,’ she told him crossly.
‘I told you, I’m in no hurry.’ He too stood up. ‘Don’t bother to show me the way, I know where to go.’
He didn’t, or he would have left completely. She didn’t want him here. He must have a skin like a rhinoceros if he didn’t realise that. She sorted through her wardrobe, trying to find something that wouldn’t draw too much attention to her; Matt Strange was interested enough without that.
She discarded the bikini, donning a silk robe in preparation of taking her shower. She hoped James arrived home soon; Matt Strange was getting too intimate for comfort, and he wasn’t going to take the answer no to his invitation out to dinner. She absolutely refused to accompany another man she had no wish to go out with.
‘Very nice!’
She turned sharply to see Matt Strange standing in the open doorway of her bedroom, a glass of some amber fluid in his hand. ‘What are you—’
He moved forward into the room, closing the door softly behind him. ‘If anything you look more seductive in that silk thing than you did in your minute bikini.’
To Kate he looked totally menacing. ‘I don’t remember inviting you into my bedroom.’ She made an effort to remain cool, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing how he unnerved her.
‘Do I need
