Savage Interlude

‘You haven’t been asked yet,’ came the dry comment from behind them. ‘And there’s every chance you never will be.’

Kate blushingly turned to face Damien Savage, wondering just how much of the conversation he had heard, and what construction he had put on it. ‘This seems to be becoming a habit,’ she said shortly.

‘That’s right,’ he agreed unconcernedly. ‘And now that you’ve both declared your love for each other perhaps you would like to get some things together. I plan to be on my way in about fifteen minutes.’

Kate looked appealingly at James. ‘I—I haven’t said I’ll go with you.’

He looked at her brother too, arrogance in every line of his superb body. ‘Do you have any objections to my taking your—to my taking Miss Darwood to a party this evening?’

James evaded Kate’s pleading eyes. ‘Not if she wants to go.’

‘I—–’

‘She does,’ Damien Savage interrupted coolly. ‘I’ll return her to you some time tomorrow. I’ll also let you know about the part.’

That was a veiled threat if ever she had heard one, a threat that meant she had no choice but to go to her room and get the requested clothes. She did so with ill-grace, slamming about her bedroom throwing clothes uncaringly into the open suitcase on her bed. Why should she have to go out with someone she disliked? More to the point, why did he want to go out with her?

Well, if he thought he was going to have an affair with her he was going to be disappointed. She didn’t go in for that sort of thing. But he wasn’t to know that! To all intents and purposes she was living here quite openly with James, without thought of marriage. So how was Damien Savage to know she wouldn’t be just as willing to have an equally intimate relationship with him? Because she would tell him, that’s how he would know!

James and Damien Savage were still at the poolside when she came out a few minutes later. She walked up to James’ side, leaning intimately against him. She saw the other man’s mouth tighten disapprovingly and smiled more warmly at her brother. What Damien Savage didn’t know couldn’t hurt him, and she had no intention of telling him of her family tie to James.

‘Are you ready to leave now?’ he asked shortly.

Kate looked at him coolly. ‘My case is in the hallway.’ She had changed into slim-fitting brown trousers and a matching shirt, leaving her hair smoothed back on top of her head. Her mother had always refused to have the flaming red hair shorn, and although it could be a nuisance at times she too kept it to its long length.

‘We’ll be on our way, then.’ He picked up his discarded jacket.

She looked quickly at her brother. ‘James, the apartment,’ she reminded him pointedly.

Damien Savage looked at the two of them impatiently. ‘What’s wrong now?’

James looked uncomfortable. ‘Kate would like you to drop her off at our apartment in town so that she can change.’

‘I’ve already said she can do that at my apartment.’

‘Yes, well—–’ James laughed nervously. ‘She would rather go to ours, and it isn’t that far from your own. You could drop her off and then pick her up on the way back.’

Damien sighed heavily. ‘If that’s what the lady wants.’

She wanted to stay here, but he was making that impossible. ‘I do,’ she told him firmly.

‘Right.’ Damien put out his hand to James, giving the proffered hand a firm shake. ‘Thanks for the hospitality, James. See you tomorrow some time.’

‘Yes—right. Fine. Well, have a nice time this evening.’ James looked at Kate anxiously, trying to find some sign of softening towards him in her rigidly held features, and finding none. ‘Kate?’

She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. ‘Goodbye, James.’ There was no warmth for him in her voice either.

‘Come on,’ Damien Savage said impatiently. ‘I don’t have time to waste.’

‘So you’ve already said,’ she returned tartly.

He frowned his displeasure at her tone before marching through the house and out to his car parked on the forecourt. He didn’t wait to see if Kate followed him, but she knew he expected it, and with a resigned shrug in James’ direction she did so. The car was as impressive as the man, a black Lotus Elan. She knew the make of car because James had thought of buying one last year before finally settling for a Ferrari.

After stowing her small case in the back of the car he climbed in beside her, settling back comfortably in the low seat. ‘I thought we were never going to get away!’

Kate answered less sharply than she would have done normally, all too much aware of how close they were in the compact interior of the car. ‘Why did you come in the first place if you felt that way?’

‘I had to see James. Besides,’ he added tauntingly, ‘I may not have met you if I hadn’t.’

‘And I’m sure you would have been devastated.’ She admired the way he handled the car, going fast but always in complete control of the vehicle, not a movement wasted.

He gave a grin and she was amazed at how much less forbidding it made him, and younger, much younger. But then he couldn’t be all that old, mid thirties at most. ‘I doubt I would have been devastated, a little disappointed, maybe, but nothing so extreme as devastation. I’ve seen you before, of course.’

Her brown eyes widened. ‘You have?’

‘Mm,’ he looked thoughtful, his strong tanned hands manoeuvring the car without need for concentration, almost as if the vehicle were a part of the man himself. ‘Usually on the news, getting on or off a plane with James,’ he continued. ‘It’s amazing we’ve never met before.’

Kate looked uninterestedly out of the window. ‘Amazing isn’t quite the word I would use.’

‘I should think lucky fits in more with your idea of things.’ He glanced sideways at her. ‘James must want this part pretty badly to allow me to walk off with his girl.’

‘I’m not his girl!’ she snapped.

‘You’re hardly more than that. Eighteen years of age!’ he said with disgust.

‘Nearly nineteen,’ she put in resentfully.

‘How nearly nineteen?’

‘Well, I—In eight months’ time!’

‘Like I said, eighteen years of age. And already you have someone like James St Just in love with you. You have me intrigued too, if that’s any consolation to you.’

‘It isn’t,’ she said firmly.

‘Look, kid, the James St Justs of this world will only use you. You’d be better off, with people of your own age, people who don’t want you for what they can get.’

She glared at him angrily. ‘Is that why I’ve been forced to come with you?’

‘I didn’t force you. If there was any forcing done it was by James. I merely requested that you come with me.’

‘Requested!’ she scoffed. ‘You blackmailed me.’

His green eyes narrowed. ‘And how did I do that?’

‘You—you threatened me.’

‘I did no such thing,’ he denied mildly.

‘Well, you threatened James, then,’ she blustered. ‘You more or less said that if I didn’t accompany you to this party you’d give the part to Matt Strange, the part James wants.’

‘My dear girl—–’

‘I’m not your dear anything,’ she interrupted.

‘My dear girl,’ he continued as though she hadn’t rudely interrupted him, ‘if I intended giving Matt Strange that part then believe me he’d get it, no matter what bribe James put in front of me. Even if you are the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in years.’

‘Then you don’t intend giving Matt Strange the part?’

He shook his head. ‘No, James is definitely right for it, he knows it and I know it.’

‘Then why—–’

‘Why the supposed indecision?’ he finished for her. ‘I never believe in letting my actors become too sure of themselves, and a little healthy competition does them no harm at all.’

‘So you’ve already decided to give James the part?’ she demanded, a feeling of indignation beginning to well up inside her.

Damien Savage nodded. ‘That’s right.’

‘So I have no need to be here really?’ Her fiery temper was definitely beginning to take over now.

The look in his eyes could only be described as intimate. ‘I wouldn’t say that.’

‘Well, I would!’ Kate turned fully in her seat to glare at him. ‘You have a damned nerve! You’re like a puppeteer, you pull the strings and everyone moves as you tell them to. I don’t like you, Mr Savage, I don’t like you at all.’

‘I know,’ he admitted calmly. ‘I think that’s half your attraction to me.’

‘I don’t want you to find me attractive. I—–’ She suddenly noticed that he had pulled the car to a halt. She looked about her dazedly. This was an apartment block, but it certainly wasn’t where she and James had their apartment. ‘Where are we?’

He was already getting out of the car. ‘At my apartment.’ He came round to open the door for her.

‘But I—– You said you’d drop me off at James’!’ she accused.

‘So I did,’ he taunted. ‘But you didn’t honestly believe I would, did you? Let’s go,’ he continued. ‘I promise not to look while you change.’

CHAPTER TWO

KATE hung back, glaring at him indignantly. ‘I know you won’t look while I change, because I’m not changing anywhere near you. I’m not going anywhere near your apartment either. I’m not completely naïve!’

Damien Savage looked down his haughty nose at her. ‘And I’m not going to suddenly leap on you as soon as the door is closed behind us. I have more finesse than that.’

‘I can imagine,’ Kate returned dryly.

‘I’m sure you can, little girls like you often have vivid imaginations. Don’t be such a coward, Kate!’ he snapped. ‘What harm can it do you to come up with me, take a shower, change, and then go on to a party?’

Put like that it sounded quite innocent, but how could she be sure it would be with a man of his reputation? ‘I—I’m not sure,’ she looked at him uncertainly.

Damien was no longer looking at her but had turned his attention to the man who had left the apartment building at their arrival. ‘Good evening, Barry,’ he greeted the man, handing over his car keys. ‘I’ll be needing it again about eight-thirty.’

‘Right, Mr Savage,’ the younger man smiled.

Damien Savage raised a taunting eyebrow at Kate as she still sat inside the car. ‘Ready?’ he asked softly.

He left her no choice but to follow him, which she did with ill grace. She fumed silently all the way up in the lift, hardly aware of her surroundings, except to note absently that they were plush and obviously the height of luxury. She would still have liked to refuse to come up here with this man but had baulked at causing a scene in front of the other man. As he had known she would!

The lift doors opened directly into the penthouse apartment and Damien Savage stepped out into the luxurious interior, waiting only fleetingly for Kate to follow him. He led the way silently into the lounge, moving forward to switch on the stereo before turning to face her.

The music that pervaded the room was soothingly melodious and not jarringly obvious as most music seemed to be nowadays. In fact the whole room was decorated for comfort and not for fashion, and it instantly found favour in Kate’s eyes. A three-piece suite in deep brown leather stood before the mock fireplace, a deep-pile cream carpet adding to the warmth and relaxation of the room, an antique mahogany dresser and stereo unit completed the furnishings.

Damien Savage was watching the play of emotions across her expressive face. ‘I take it my home meets with your approval?’

‘It’s—it’s very nice,’ she replied awkwardly.

‘But not what you expected,’ he guessed shrewdly.

‘Hardly.’

‘You’ll have to go to James and his friends if you want the ultra-modern decor they seem to find attractive. Personally, I think it’s hideous and totally unrelaxing.’

‘So do I.’

‘You agree?’ he looked surprised.

‘Certainly. You didn’t expect that, did you?’

‘No,’ he answered honestly. ‘But I like women who can surprise me.’

The faintly intimate tone to his words reminded her of her reasons for being here. ‘Your likes and dislikes in women don’t interest me,’ she said sharply. ‘Nothing about you interests me.’

‘I’ll do my best to change that,’ he promised deeply, his green eyes caressing.

Her lips turned back in a sneer. ‘I shouldn’t bother. I doubt my opinion of you will alter with better acquaintance.’

‘You never know,’ he taunted. ‘I’ve been told that I can be quite charming on occasion.’

‘I won’t ask what occasion,’ she said bitchily.

He chuckled at the disapproval in her face. ‘Perhaps you’re right. Would you like me to show you your room?’

‘My room—–! You can show me where I’ll be changing,’ she corrected. ‘But it certainly won’t be my room.’

‘I’m not going to argue with you—yet. I’ll take you to the room now. I only have someone come in to keep the place free of dust and stock up the refrigerator, I manage everything else on my own,’ he continued conversationally, taking her down a short corridor and into a bedroom on the left-hand side. ‘I’m not in one place long enough to keep permanent staff.’

Kate could well believe it; he always seemed to be reported to be moving to one location or another. She liked the bedroom, the huge four-poster bed, the Queen Anne furniture. What extraordinarily good taste this man had, quite surprisingly so.

‘This is lovely,’ she told him appreciatively.

‘Changed your mind about staying?’

‘No! Definitely not.’

He shrugged. ‘I’ll leave you to sort out your clothing while I fix us something to eat.’

She couldn’t imagine the worldly, sophisticated Damien Savage doing that and she protested loudly. ‘I’m not hungry,’ she lied.

‘Rubbish. I’m pretty good at cooking omelettes, light and fluffy as they should be,’ he added temptingly. ‘And I can have it ready in about five minutes.’

She ignored the rumblings of her stomach. ‘Why should you want to get me a meal?’

Damien Savage sighed. ‘I happen to be hungry myself. It’s quite some time since I last ate.’

‘Oh well.’ Kate turned away to begin taking out her gown for the evening. ‘In that case I might as well join you. I’d love an omelette.’

‘With salad?’

‘With salad,’ she agreed.

She didn’t need to turn to know he had left the room, she just sensed it. This was the strangest day she had spent since the day she had suddenly been introduced to James’ unusual but interesting life. Strange, because a few hours ago she hadn’t even met Damien Savage; she had had the usual girlhood dreams about him a few years ago, but now she was actually in the bedroom of his apartment. Her immature daydreams had never taken her this far.

She hung up her dress on a hanger she found in the closet. It was a black silk gown, so it hadn’t creased too much in the case. An hour or so on a hanger should ensure that it had no creases at all.

Dinner was ready for her when she came into the kitchen a few minutes later. A place was set for her at the breakfast bar and she sat down without a word. Damien sat next to her and they ate in silence.

He heaved a sigh of satisfaction as he drank the last of his coffee. ‘Right,’ he stood up. ‘I’ll go and shower and leave you to clear this away.’

‘You’ll what?’ Kate looked at him in amazement, pushing back a stray wisp of hair that had escaped her topknot.

‘You heard me. I’m not going to wait on you all evening.’ He stopped at the door. ‘And wear your hair loose tonight,’ he ordered.

‘I will not!’ She faced him, a slender defiant figure in her fitted trousers and blouse. ‘I hardly ever leave my hair free.’

‘For me you will,’ he promised softly. ‘I love longhaired women. How long is it?’

‘Almost down to my waist,’ she told him sulkily. ‘And I don’t want to be classed with your women!’

‘I don’t have any women at the moment,’ he answered with some amusement. ‘Only a little girl that I’m finding more desirable every moment I’m with her. I like females that answer me back,’ he surprised her with this disclosure, ‘and you do little else.’

‘If I’d realised that I would have been so nice to you you would have longed to get away.’ The golden flecks were more noticeable in her wide brown eyes. ‘I wish I’d known!’

‘Too late,’ he laughed huskily.

Left alone in the kitchen, Kate had little choice but to wash the dishes and tidy them away. By the time she had finished Damien was back, dressed only in a black silk robe that reached just above his knees, his strong tanned legs bare beneath its short length, and the V-neckline showing her the thick dark hair that grew on his brown chest. He had obviously shaved, and droplets of water still glistened in his hair where he had showered.

He watched her over the flame of his lighter as he lit the long cheroot in his mouth, smoke drifting about the. room. ‘Your turn,’ he said softly, his green cat-like eyes never leaving her face.

She was disconcerted by his complete unselfconsciousness at his almost nakedness, her nostrils appreciating the aroma of the cheroot. ‘I—er—couldn’t you have dressed before coming back in here?’ she demanded defensively.

He shrugged his broad shoulders. ‘Why should I? I live here.’

‘Yes, but—but I’m here.’

‘So? I’m wearing more now than James was this afternoon, and yet you didn’t appear shocked then.’

‘That was different, and you know it,’ Kate accused. ‘Now we’re alone, and you—well, you aren’t dressed.’

Damien gave a half smile. ‘Come on, honey, I’m quite adequately clothed, and you’re just wasting time. It’s seven-thirty already.’

‘All right, I’ll shower and change. And for goodness’ sake get dressed!’

The smoke wafted about his head. ‘I intend to—in my own good time.’

Kate moved to the door, but he blocked her exit. Her eyes were riveted to the dark hairs on his chest and she couldn’t raise her eyes any higher, fearing the mockery in his eyes. ‘Will you let me pass, please?’ Her voice was a husky whisper and she cursed herself for her timidity. But he was so overpowering, so essentially male.

He moved slightly aside, but not far enough for her to pass through without touching him, and she didn’t want to do that. ‘Go ahead,’ he encouraged, smiling tauntingly.

Kate set her lips determinedly and brushed past him, her body coming into full contact with the hard muscle of his. She recoiled away from him instinctively, hating herself for her weakness. She walked hurriedly to the room Damien had given her to use, closing the door firmly behind her.

God, how he unnerved her! Much as she hated to admit it, it was an inescapable fact. She had met men like him before, arrogant, darkly attractive, but none of them had ever affected her as he did. She was constantly aware of him, mainly in anger, but sometimes as a vibrant attractive man who demanded attention unconsciously.

And he was attractive, much more handsome than most of the men who appeared in his films. He could almost have been a film star himself, in fact he had been at one time, until directing had interested him more. And he was good at his job, excellent in fact.

But he frightened her; she wasn’t up to the sophisticated games he seemed to be constantly engaged in. She didn’t need two guesses as to his interest in her, but under James’ guardianship she wasn’t even allowed to date the same man more than a few times, let alone indulge in promiscuous affairs. But she felt sure Damien Savage didn’t plan a platonic friendship between the two of them, it wasn’t his way at all.

What would she do if he tried anything like that on her? What could she do? She certainly wouldn’t give in to him. She couldn’t do that, although she was sure he could be very persuasive.

A warm shower and fresh make-up and she felt more confident of herself, and once she had on the figure-hugging black dress she felt a hundred per cent better. It was a strapless dress, finishing abruptly as it rested on her firm uptilted breasts, smoothing down over her narrow waist and slender hips. It suited her and she felt good in it.

Damien was in the lounge when she came out of the bedroom, looking handsome and sophisticated in black trousers accompanied by a blue velvet dinner jacket, the startling white shirt he wore opened casually at the neck. His eyes slowly travelled up her body, pausing momentarily on her breasts with a probing insolence, finally passing on to her face. She saw him frown in the subdued lighting of the room. ‘Your hair,’ he snapped, his eyes narrowed. ‘You didn’t listen to what I said earlier.’

‘I did.’ She held herself stiffly. ‘I just didn’t want to do it.’

‘Do it now,’ he commanded.

‘No,’ she shook her head.

‘Do it, Kate, or I’ll do it myself.’ He made a threatening step towards her. ‘And I probably won’t be as gentle as you would.’

She put up a self-conscious hand to her confined hair. ‘It looks a mess when it’s loose,’ she said uncertainly, put off by the determined glint in his eyes.

‘I mean it, Kate.’

‘But—but we’ll be late! It’s already eight-thirty, the car will be downstairs.’

‘It can wait, and so can the party for that matter.’ He stood firm, and she knew by the arrogant lift of his head that he wasn’t going to relent.

She threw down her evening bag angrily on to a chair, beginning to pull out the pins that secured her hair. ‘Oh, all right! But don’t blame me if you feel like drowning me halfway through the evening. This hair of mine seems to have a life of its own when it isn’t confined.’ She ran her hand through the long loose waves of her red hair, tumbling it down her back like a shimmering flame.

Damien’s eyes never left her. ‘Beautiful!’ he breathed softly. ‘I’m even more convinced that you’ll be photogenic.’

Kate was brushing her hair in long vigorous strokes, feeling it crackle with healthy life. ‘I’m not going to that screen test, you know,’ she tugged viciously at a tangle.

‘Why not? Frightened I meant it about coming back to my apartment for the night?’ he mocked her.

‘Not at all,’ she answered with a confidence she didn’t feel. ‘I’m just not interested in what people call stardom.’

He raised a surprised eyebrow. ‘You’re not?’

Kate shook her head, her hair now a silken curtain of fire down her back, the red and gold lights in it brought into more prominence by the black of her gown. ‘Definitely not.’

Damien moved forward with a triumphant laugh. ‘I think I’m really going to like you, Kate Darwood. The most beautiful hair I’ve ever laid eyes on and no bid for stardom! You sound like perfection to me,’ he bent his dark head with a suddenness that took her by surprise, catching her off guard as he claimed her lips possessively with his own.

For one mesmerised moment Kate let him kiss her, even allowed herself to respond for a few short seconds, before good sense took over. She was here alone with this man in his apartment, completely at his mercy if he should choose to take advantage of the situation.

She fought against him, wrenching herself out of his arms. ‘Stop that! What do you think I am!’

‘I already told you that.’ He watched her with amusement, glancing at his wrist watch. ‘You’re very beautiful. And we’re going to be very late if we don’t leave now.’

‘I’ve been ready for the last ten minutes,’ she said crossly.

He handed her her bag. ‘And I’m ready to leave now.’

Kate sat bolt upright on her side of the car, the soft music from the cassette doing little to soothe her nerves. How dare he kiss her like that, as if he had a perfect right to do so? James had much to answer for, letting this man calmly walk off with her as if she were an object, and she would tell him so when she got back home. When she got back …

‘Are you annoyed because I kissed you?’ He gave her a sideways glance.

‘You had no right to do it,’ she obstinately refused to look at him, even though his eyes compelled her to.

‘I had the right of a man attracted to a beautiful girl,’ he told her haughtily. ‘Or do you save all your kisses for the faithless James?’