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Disliking that particular train of thought, Caitlin arrived at the top of the stairs and glanced anxiously round her. Two doors faced each other across the landing. Before she could talk herself out of it she rapped briskly on number three. She immediately registered the sound of male voices coming from the room and realised that Jake and Rick must be in conference about the concert tomorrow.
She didn’t know whether to stay put or turn around and leave. But the decision was made for her when the door suddenly opened and Rick appeared. Untypically, when his usual mode of dress was more extrovert, he was wearing a pair of ordinary faded Levi’s and a plain white T-shirt.
He gave Caitlin his trademark roguish smile when he saw that it was her. ‘Hello, gorgeous. Come to join the party?’
His candid gaze moved over her figure in her buttoned-up raincoat—possibly the most unsexy item of clothing she possessed. But Caitlin didn’t give the thought much attention.
‘No. I mean, I just came to see Jake…if I could?’
Her mouth suddenly drying, she stared across the top of Rick’s hard-muscled shoulder and found the man she was looking for. His long-legged form was lounging in an overstuffed green and gold striped armchair and his glance met hers, a knowing smile curving his lips. He looked as if he’d been expecting her visit.
Her feverish thoughts went into overdrive. He’d given them all the day off and advised them to get an early night in preparation for the following day, but he clearly didn’t apply the advice to himself. Did the man ever get an early night in his business? Caitlin somehow doubted it.
‘If I’ve come at a bad time—’ she started, suddenly embarrassed. Had any of his other artists ever sought him out the night before a debut concert to seek his reassurance she wondered? Would her sudden attack of nerves disturb him and make him doubt his decision to hire her as Marcie’s replacement?
He must have intuited that she was on the point of changing her mind about talking to him because he said suddenly, ‘Stay right where you are.’
The words were uttered like a command from on high and Caitlin immediately froze. Rick sighed and moved away as Jake took a couple of leisurely strides towards her. As he drew near she saw that his hard, lean jaw was dark with late-night shadow and his slightly cool stare put her on her guard. That less than friendly glance hardly invited a frank admission about her doubts and feelings concerning the gig tomorrow, she thought anxiously.
‘I thought you might come to see me tonight,’ he drawled.
‘Did you?’ Caitlin heard the strength in her voice desert her.
‘Yes, I did’ He turned round to find Rick. ‘Give us a few minutes, will you? Come to think of it, we’ll probably need a little longer than that. Go and have a drink with Tina.’
Looking doubtful, his colleague shrugged. ‘I’d really like to oblige, Jake, but whether Miss Cold-as-Ice down there will even serve me is another matter. We’ve had a bit of a falling out.’
‘You brought it on yourself, Rick. Sort it out.’
‘Sure. You’re the boss.’
Clearly unhappy, Rick didn’t say another word. But he still found a smile for Caitlin as he passed her. Then he left the room, shutting the door firmly behind him. She shivered. She suddenly didn’t feel at all easy about finding herself alone with Jake.
‘Can I get you a drink?’ The charismatic manager strolled across to another ponderous Victorian sideboard and, opening a door, extracted a bottle of Bourbon along with two glasses.
‘No. Not for me, thanks.’
When Caitlin declined his offer without further ado he poured himself a conservative amount of alcohol into a shot glass and advanced slowly towards her. Not for a second did he take his glance off her. His blue eyes glinted dangerously, just like a shaft of sunlight catching the burnished blade of a sword. She couldn’t help tensing. The charming man in the Armani tux who had taken her to the Burlesque had apparently disappeared.
Tipping back his glass, Jake swallowed down the drink before saying, ‘So…care to tell me why you’ve come to see me tonight, Caitlin? It certainly isn’t to make small talk, is it? What’s on your mind? In my experience there’s only one reason a woman comes to a man’s hotel room late at night.’
