‘Oh, God!’ Damien groaned, moving closer to her. ‘Come here, Kate. This seems to be the only way I have of reaching you.’ He bent his head to claim her lips in a kiss that reduced all her arguments to nothing.
He was right: this was the only way they communicated, when words no longer seemed to matter between them. Her mouth moved below his in passionate longing, her arms up about his neck as she strained him closer to her.
He used the whole of his experience to inflame her, her body against his, the hard length of his thighs firmly imprinted against hers. The heavy rise and fall of his chest made her aware of his own heightened senses, the pounding of his heart as fast as her own.
Damien teased her lips apart to better claim her sweetness, his hands sure and firm as they moved across her back. One hand moved round to cup her breast, her whole body sensitive to his touch. And her own hands weren’t idle, smoothing the muscled skin of his back beneath his jacket.
‘Oh, Kate,’ he sighed against her lips. ‘You can be so sweet. Why do you have to fight me?’
‘I already told you that.’ She rested her forehead on his chin. ‘I won’t let that happen to me.’
‘I wouldn’t let it, honey,’ he said gently.
‘I wasn’t planned, Damien.’ She shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, but you’ll have to find someone else for that sort of fun.’
He was touching her hair with strong tanned hands, smoothing the silken tresses down her back. ‘And if I don’t want anyone else?’
‘Then I’m sorry.’
‘No, you’re not. I think you enjoy torturing me. Am I being paid back for the mistake your father made?’
He thwarted all her efforts to move out of his arms. ‘Let me go, Damien! How can you say such things to me? I’m not paying anyone back for anything.’
Damien held her firmly against him. ‘Oh yes, you are, honey. You like to give the come-on and then say no. Your hair,’ he murmured softly. ‘Do you always wear it loose now?’
‘Not always, no,’ she answered resentfully. ‘I—It—’
‘You know I prefer it loose. You wear it like this to please me.’
This time she did wrench out of his arms, moving a safe distance away from him, as safe as she could be when still in the same room as him. Her anger was all the stronger because he was right. He was always right about her. Always.
‘I wear it like this to please myself, no one else.’
‘You’re lying. You told me you didn’t like it loose.’
‘Do you have to remember everything I’ve said so clearly?’ she snapped. ‘Someone told me it suited me like this.’
‘That’s right—I did.’
‘No, not you.’
Those green eyes darkened and his lips snapped together angrily. ‘Who else have you been out with the last couple of months?’
‘Why should I tell you that? It has nothing to do with you, nothing!’
‘All right, that’s it! I’ve had it with you. I’ll grovel to no woman. I want you, but I’m not going to beg you for anything.’ Damien’s face was contorted with rage. ‘Maybe one day I’ll meet someone I feel that strongly about, but it won’t be made through blackmail!’
‘Oh, but I’m not—’
‘Yes, you damn well are!’ he ground out. ‘Maybe I’ll see you around—but I wouldn’t count on it. I intend avoiding you at every opportunity.’
‘Damien, I’m sorry. I—’
‘Don’t add insult to injury! Just get your claws into some other poor guy who’ll find your elusiveness entertaining. I’ve gone past that stage with you now.’ He walked over to the door. ‘Way past. If I don’t get out of here I’m going to do something we’ll both regret.’
The whole room seemed to shake as he slammed the door after him. Kate sank weakly into a chair, the trauma of the last few hours almost too much for her. So much had happened today, not least of all Louise St Just’s unwarranted attack on her. James would have been furious if he had known the extent of his mother’s nastiness.
But Damien walking out on her in that way had just about finished her off. But what else could she expect? The situation between them was explosive, positively lethal. Where would it all end, if it hadn’t already ended? She must make sure that this was the end, before things got out of hand. If they hadn’t already!
She was still sitting in the chair when Josie returned at midnight, James’ telephone call previously the only interruption into her loneliness. Josie came quietly into the room and switched on the small side-lamps. She looked taken aback as she spotted Kate. ‘I thought you would either be out or fast asleep in bed.’ She slipped off her coat and came to sit down.
‘I must have fallen asleep,’ Kate lied, having been staring thoughtfully into the darkness for the last few hours since James’ call.
Josie looked at her concernedly. ‘Have you eaten?’
‘I wasn’t hungry,’ she said dully.
‘Weddings are always an anti-climax, aren’t they,’ Josie chattered on. ‘I always feel thoroughly deflated.’
Kate summoned up a smile. ‘Never mind, it’ll be your turn soon. How did your evening go, by the way? As if I need to ask!’ Josie was glowing and it didn’t need two guesses why.
‘The evening was—fantastic. He’s taking me out for a picnic tomorrow.’
‘That should be nice.’
‘And you—how did your evening go?’
Kate looked away. ‘I’ve been home all evening.’
‘Oh, did Mr Savage have
