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‘Dangerous habit, that.’ He slanted a mocking glance at her from under hooded lids. ‘You’ll get fat if you eat Melody’s leftovers.’
‘It wasn’t exactly her leftovers,’ Kim returned tightly. ‘Besides, I was hungry.’
In actual fact, she had thought eating something might calm the flutters in her stomach the thought of the evening ahead had produced, but it hadn’t worked.
‘All to the good anyway; we shan’t be eating until later.’
He started the engine as he spoke, nosing the car out of the small driveway and on to the quiet residential road beyond Kim’s front garden.
Kim forced herself to sit absolutely still although every sense in her body was screaming. He was wearing an intoxicatingly delicious aftershave that was subtly sensual and made her want to lean over for a good deep lungful as she nuzzled the harsh—and, she had noticed, recently shaved—jawline.
She lifted her chin in defiance against herself and said carefully, ‘We’re having that talk first?’
‘We’re going to the theatre first,’ Lucas said mildly.
‘The theatre?’
It was almost in the nature of a screech and Lucas narrowed his eyes against it as he repeated, ‘The theatre.’
‘But…but you didn’t say anything about the theatre.’ She felt somehow that this was turning into a proper date, with this new slant on the evening.
‘Look on it as a nice surprise,’ Lucas said smoothly at the side of her, his eyes on the road ahead.
‘I don’t like surprises.’ It was a touch petulant but Kim was past caring. How on earth had she come to be sitting here like this with Lucas Kane driving her to goodness knew where? she asked herself feverishly. He was as male as males went, and everything which cold logical common sense told her was dangerous. Strong and aggressive, with a darn sight too much sexual charisma and pull in the male-female department, not to mention hugely experienced and wealthy to boot.
‘Stop panicking, Kim. I’m taking you to the theatre and then to dinner, not to show you my etchings.’
Her eyes shot to the dark profile but Lucas’s face was unreadable.
She opened her mouth to deny the accusation and then shut it again. She couldn’t win in a war of words with Lucas. Every time she attempted it she seemed to get herself into a worse tangle and he won another battle. Besides which—she bit her lip hard and concentrated fiercely on the dark road ahead—he was right. As usual.
Okay, so she couldn’t compete with him mentally, and neither could she deny the effect he had on her physically, she told herself silently, but what she could do was to conduct herself with cool dignity and reserve throughout the evening. The ice maiden approach. Say little, observe much and rise to nothing.
The more she had got to know him, the more she had realised why Lucas chose his lovers from women with careers as similarly high-powered to his own. He was an intimidatingly intelligent individual; he would require mental stimulation from any companion he invited into his bed as well as physical gratification. She wasn’t dumb—even though Graham had tried to persuade her otherwise—but neither did she have what those sort of women had.
She had always liked the idea of a career, but she knew herself well enough to recognise that for her family and home would always come first. She didn’t want to be up with the cream of the high-fliers—knowing all the latest deals, the latest gossip, having a finger on the pulse and acting ruthlessly and with absolute focus when she had to. And that was the sort of women Lucas gravitated towards. She was just a change from his usual diet, a passing fancy; he’d find her infinitely boring after a time.
So… She narrowed dark eyes at the brightly lit streets as they reached the heart of the city. She would just be herself but with a great deal of reserve. And by the end of the evening he’d probably be champing at the bit to get her home.
Her soft mouth drooped unknowingly.
The theatre was splendid and their seats were in the stalls with an excellent view of the stage, but Kim was hardly conscious of her surroundings.
Like her, Lucas had dressed up—in his case, a black dinner-jacket and tie—and when he had removed his overcoat in the foyer she had had to force her eyes away with relentless determination when she realised she was ogling him, pretending to admire the elaborately decorated walls and ceiling instead, her cheeks burning.
Once in their seats she buried herself in the programme Lucas had bought her, steeling herself to show no reaction when his thigh briefly brushed hers as he adjusted his long limbs in the limited leg-room.
He leant over her slightly as the cast-list swam and moved before her eyes. ‘Have you seen this particular company before?’ he asked easily. His cool relaxed tone further evidence to Kim that she was the one with the problem.
‘No—no, I haven’t.’
‘They’re good.’
‘Right.’ As he settled back into his own seat Kim expelled her breath in a silent relieved sigh and prayed for the performance to begin.
How could you be surrounded by people and yet feel as if the rest of the world wasn’t there? she asked herself desperately. She didn’t want to feel like this. It was too disturbing. She didn’t want to be with Lucas Kane. He was too disturbing.
‘Stop frowning; people will think we’ve had a fight.’
