Passionate Winter

‘Disappointed?’ he asked softly.

‘No, of course not!’ Leigh denied vehemently, maybe too vehemently. ‘It just seems strange for you to bring back a little thing like this. I didn’t expect you to return it.’

‘I didn’t say that was the reason I came here. I came to see if you had arrived home safely.’

‘You did? Whatever for?’

‘I felt responsible for you. You’re the type of helpless female that needs protecting from herself, and as your parents don’t seem to give a damn—–’

‘Now you have gone too far!’ Leigh stood angrily in front of him, her eyes almost spitting her dislike of him. ‘My parents care for me very much, in fact it was as I was returning from visiting them that my car broke down. I can assure you that no one could worry more about me than my mother and father do.’

‘They have a very funny way of showing it, letting a kid like you live in London and mix with the crowd you do.’ He saw her face colour up. ‘Unless of course they don’t know about your so-called friends,’ he guessed shrewdly. ‘Could that be the case?’

Leigh studied her painted fingernails, avoiding his gaze, which was much too penetrating for comfort. ‘There’s nothing to know. They know I have quite a few friends in London, and they’re only too pleased that I’ve made these friends so easily.’

‘But you haven’t told them that most of these kids sleep around and a lot of them experiment with drugs. Have you?’

His tone demanded an answer. ‘No,’ she agreed reluctantly. ‘But they know I have more sense than to get involved in any one of those scenes. I’ve seen drug addicts and the state they’ve been reduced to, and let me tell you that nothing would induce me to take drugs. What is it with you anyway? You should be telling Gavin all this, not me.’

‘Gavin is perfectly capable of taking care of himself,’ he told her coldly. ‘Like you, he’s seen drug addicts. That’s the one thing I know he would never become involved in.’

‘Okay, okay,’ she said resignedly. ‘Now you know that I’ve arrived home safely you can go on to your engagement. I wouldn’t like the lady to be kept waiting.’

‘I’m not answerable to anyone for my movements, young lady, and at the moment I’m perfectly comfortable where I am.’

‘Well, I’m not! I’m supposed to be going out, not trying to humour you.’

Piers stood up. ‘Very well, I’ll take you out.’ He straightened one snowy white cuff.

‘To the party? You’ll give me a lift?’

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