Brand of Possession Read online

  She frowned. ‘I’m sure I would have remembered it.’

  ‘Really?’ he asked mockingly. ‘Do you remember every short, fat, balding man who makes your acquaintance?’

  Stacy flushed angrily. ‘You overheard a purely private conversation, and it’s very rude of you to keep reminding me of it.’

  ‘I stand rebuked,’ he taunted.

  ‘You’re damned arrogant!’ she said tautly.

  He gave a deep husky laugh, an attractive sound that made her nerve-endings tingle. His teeth were firm and white against the dark tan of his skin and he looked younger when he laughed, although she would say he was in his late thirties, the fine lines at the corner of his eyes and mouth an indication of the licentious life he had led the last thirty-seven, thirty-eight years.

  ‘So I’ve been told,’ he acknowledged without shame.

  ‘I’m sure I would have remembered if I’d met Mr Weston. Besides, he only arrived today, and I’ve only just got back to the hotel.’

  He still looked amused. ‘I didn’t say you’d met him, I said he’d seen you—on film. Your screen test actually. There were over a hundred applicants for that part when they narrowed the field down, and he wanted to choose the girl for that part himself. He chose you.’

  ‘I didn’t realise.’

  ‘Although it’s only a small part he considered that role important, the girl Jason eventually marries.’

  She looked surprised. ‘You seem to know a lot about it.’

  ‘I would hardly be a good employee if I didn’t take an interest in my employer’s work.’

  ‘What exactly do you do?’

  He shrugged his wide powerful shoulders. ‘This and that.’

  ‘I see.’

  ‘I doubt it,’ he mocked, not rising to her contempt. ‘But I really couldn’t give a damn. So, the reason you’ve been fired?’

  Stacy gave a defiant flick of her head, her long red tresses flying back over her shoulder. ‘If you’re that interested ask the director.’

  ‘He’s the one who dismissed you?’

  She grinned as she remembered the meeting she had just been through with Martin Payne, her good humour never down for long. ‘You could say that,’ she agreed.

  ‘Then I’ll talk to him.’

  Stacy shrugged. ‘Please yourself. I have to go and change for dinner, excuse me,’ and she walked off before he could answer her.

  ‘You didn’t tell me your name,’ he called after her.

  She hesitated with her key in the door to her room, turning to look at him as he stood several feet away from her. ‘My name? You seem to be the one with all the answers, so find out!’ She quickly opened the door, slamming it hurriedly behind her.

  She leant back against the door, smiling impishly at her room-mate, who sat on one of the single beds yawning tiredly. As one of the unknowns in the film Stacy didn’t merit being given a room of her own, but luckily she liked Juliet Small, which was perhaps as well in the circumstances. Juliet had a slightly smaller part than herself, another love of the hero Jason, so she supposed it was only natural for them to be put in the same room.

  Juliet was slightly older than her, twenty-five to her nineteen, with bubbly black curls and an impish face. She stood up now, stretching her aching limbs. ‘God, I’m tired!’ she groaned. ‘I had to go through that scene in the hayloft with Paul Forbes so many times today that I feel positively unclean!’

  Stacy grimaced, beginning to unpeel the figure-hugging dress from her own tired limbs. ‘I’m not surprised, having to let him paw you all over like that.’

  Juliet grinned. ‘Oh, I didn’t mind that. It was all that hay, I have an allergy to it.’

  ‘And I have an allergy to Paul Forbes.’ Stacy stepped out of the dress completely, clothed now in only a pair of minute briefs. ‘Thank God I don’t have to let him touch me!’ she shuddered at the thought, going through to the adjoining bathroom to run the water for her shower.

  Juliet followed her. ‘But you have the rape scene,’ she shouted above the roar of the water. ‘And you can bet your life on it that Paul Forbes will want that to be very explicit!’

  ‘Then he can damn well want,’ Stacy said sharply. ‘Even if I were staying I wouldn’t allow him to do more than give a token show of rape.’

  ‘Yes, but you know him, he—If you were staying?’

  ‘I shall be leaving tomorrow, Juliet,’ Stacy said with a sigh, explaining her reasons. ‘I’m afraid he’s picked on the wrong girl for his next affair,’ she added. ‘He just sickens me.’

  Juliet nodded. ‘At forty-three I think he’s rather disgusting to want someone of nineteen.’ She patted her own glowing curls. ‘I’m much more his age,’ she teased.

  ‘Juliet!’ Stacy couldn’t help laughing. ‘You don’t really like him?’

  ‘Well … Let’s just say that it wasn’t all acting today. I could have quite enjoyed it if it hadn’t been for that hay.’

  Stacy stepped under the water, soaping her body. ‘Shame!’ she taunted lightly. ‘Rather you than me.’ She rinsed herself before turning off the shower and stepping out into the towel Juliet held out to her. ‘Now, I’ve just been accosted by what I would call a real man—and I do mean real.’

  ‘Well, don’t keep him all to yourself. Who was he? Where is he?’

  Stacy laughed softly. ‘By this time he should be upstairs with his employer, Jake Weston.’

  ‘So, what’s he like?’

  ‘Tall, dark, handsome, very muscular, arrogant, experienced—very experienced, I would say.’

  ‘He sounds dreamy.’

  ‘Oh, he is.’ In fact Stacy was surprised at the impression the man had made on her. She could still remember the cynical twist to that firm mouth and the taunting mockery of his deep blue eyes. ‘A little overpowering, but definitely dreamy.’

  ‘What’s his name?’ Juliet sat back on the bed, her chin resting on her denim-clad knees.

  That brought Stacy up with a start. ‘Do you know, I have no idea. He didn’t say and I didn’t think to ask,’ although after the way she had refused to tell him her name she doubted he would be any more forthcoming.

  ‘Bowled over by his charm?’

  She smiled, taking her gown for the evening off the rack in the wardrobe. ‘Not exactly. I didn’t say he was charming.’

  ‘Oh, I see. So he doesn’t have charm to go with all these other attributes?’

  ‘I think he could have, I just didn’t see any evidence of it. Are you going to the party tonight? I could show him to you then, he’s bound to be there.’

  ‘Oh, I’m going. With him and Paul Forbes in attendance I wouldn’t miss it for anything.’

  Stacy laughed. ‘No one seems at all interested in meeting the famous author.’

  ‘Oh, I want to meet him too. He’s such a mystery man that I just have to know what he looks like. He’s never photographed, you know, not even for the back of his books, he guards his privacy with fanatic intensity.’

  Stacy nodded. ‘I think the man I met just now may have been a sort of bodyguard. He certainly had the physique for it. But from what I can gather Mr Weston isn’t worth photographing. I suggested to this other chap that he was short, fat and bald, and he didn’t deny it.’

  ‘Not very loyal of him.’

  ‘How can he deny it if it’s the truth?’

  ‘Mm,’ Juliet reluctantly agreed. ‘And here was I hoping he guarded his privacy because he’s so good-looking.’

  ‘Hard luck,’ Stacy said unsympathetically. ‘You’d better get ready, we’ll have to go down to dinner soon.’

  She dressed while Juliet went into the bathroom, her white dress square-necked, with narrow shoulder straps, a thick band of embroidered flowers at the waist before it flared out in four layers of pleated chiffon to just below her knee. It was a beautiful dress and made her hair appear redder than usual. It had been an expensive gown too, and in the light of today’s events she wished she had saved the money to help her through wh
at could be weeks of being out of work.

  She applied a light make-up, the natural brightness of her green eyes and her thick sooty lashes needing no adornment. She felt very satisfied with the result by the time she at last surveyed herself in the full-length mirror. As a final gesture she pinned the white gauzy rose she had bought to go with the dress over her left ear in the waving thickness of her hair. It gave her a gypsy look and she felt pleased with her appearance.

  Juliet seconded her opinion when she came through from the bathroom a few minutes later, her own dress a royal blue silk that clung to her curves and gave a black sheen to her hair.

  They made a lovely contrast when they entered the dining-room together and several male heads turned to look in their direction. They joined Matthew and his room-mate Daniel at their table, Stacy having a hurried look around the large room once they had ordered their meal, just to see if her arrogant stranger was present.

  He wasn’t, although she supposed that if his employer had an aversion to meeting people he would probably be eating with him upstairs in his suite. She couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed, although he should be at the party being held privately in one of the lounges. She found herself looking forward to seeing him again, even though he had been so disagreeable.

  Matthew clicked his finger and thumb in front of her eyes. ‘Hey, come back to us, dreamboat,’ he teased. ‘Surely our company isn’t that boring?’

  She turned to give him a dazzling smile. ‘You aren’t boring at all. I was just deep in thought.’

  ‘I’m not needed tomorrow, would you like me to give you a lift up to London?’

  ‘I wouldn’t want to put you to all that trouble,’ she refused. ‘I can easily get a train.’

  ‘Certainly not. I’ll take you.’

  ‘Well, if you’re sure …’

  ‘I’m sure,’ he said firmly.

  She smiled again, her green eyes glowing. ‘In that case, I accept. I didn’t particularly relish the idea of carrying a couple of suitcases to and from the station.’

  ‘You never know,’ put in Daniel. ‘You may even get an invitation to stay the night.’

  Matthew grinned. ‘You don’t know Stacy very well if you think that. All that fiery hair and the invitation in her eyes could mean she has a passionate nature—but I’ve never been allowed to find out. Stacy is waiting for someone to marry her before she makes that kind of commitment.’

  Daniel leant forward to hold her hand. ‘Will you marry me?’ he asked, his eyes full of merriment.

  She laughed at his teasing. ‘I would actually want the wedding ring on my finger before I allowed you to do more than hold my hand,’ she warned.

  He moved away in mock horror. ‘In that case … Will you marry me, Juliet?’

  ‘The same conditions apply, I’m afraid.’

  Daniel sat back with a sigh. ‘I wish someone would tell me where all these girls who belong to the permissive society are, because I’ve certainly never met any of them!’

  They all laughed together at his woebegone expression, quietening down as their meal began to arrive. They were a boisterous lot working on this film and Stacy felt sure the staff of this hotel were accustomed to a much soberer clientele, although they seemed to be coping with them quite well.

  It was almost nine o’clock by the time they left the dining-room, the meal superb as usual. Paul Forbes had passed their table on his way out, giving Stacy a cold look that left her in no doubt as to his feelings towards her now. She had shrugged this off resignedly; after tomorrow she wouldn’t have to worry about him any more.

  She felt a certain amount of regret about leaving, not about her decision concerning Paul Forbes advances, but because she had enjoyed working with the majority of the people here.

  There were quite a lot of people already in the lounge when they got there, each of them grabbing a glass of champagne as a waiter hurried past them. There was soft background music drifting out from the strategically placed speakers, although the babel of conversation drowned a lot of this out.

  Matthew stayed at her side, grinning down at her. ‘I can’t see our famous author yet.’

  Neither could she, but she could see her handsome stranger standing over the other side of the room with Martin Payne. He looked devastatingly attractive in a wine-coloured velvet jacket that fitted tautly across his wide powerful shoulders, a snowy white shirt with a ruffle front and black trousers that moulded to his firm muscular thighs. He stood head and shoulders above any other man in the room and was easily the most handsome man there.

  He moved slightly and for the first time Stacy saw the man standing at his side. She knew straight away that this must be Jake Weston; he fitted her description perfectly, even to the bald head.

  She turned with a triumphant smile. ‘I wish I’d made a bet over Mr Weston,’ she said to Matthew.

  ‘Mm?’ he followed her line of vision. ‘It looks as if you would have won.’

  The handsome stranger turned to look at them as if aware of their scrutiny, nodding distantly as he recognised Stacy. She nodded back before he turned away again, feeling strangely breathless at the brooding expression in his eyes.

  Matthew looked at her with raised eyebrows. ‘Who was that?’

  She took a sip of her drink, giving him a composed look. ‘I have no idea.’

  He gave a splutter of laughter. ‘No idea, when he looks at you like that?’ He shook his head. ‘The man was mentally undressing you.’

  She coloured delicately. ‘Can I help that?’

  ‘No, I suppose not, not the way you look tonight. Did I tell you how beautiful you look?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Well, you do. Payne’s a fool to drop you from this film, you’re going to be a really big name one day.’ He looked up as a shadow fell across them in the dimmed room.

  Stacy looked up too, straight into those compelling blue eyes set in the deeply tanned face. ‘Hello,’ she said huskily, unable to think of anything more intelligent to say.

  He nodded. ‘Good evening,’ he drawled. ‘I have something I would like to talk to you about, Miss Adams.’

  Matthew took the hint. ‘I’ll just go and get another drink from the bar,’ he said quietly. ‘Can I get you anything, Stacy?’

  ‘Er—no, no, thank you.’ She felt mesmerised by this tall arrogant stranger, unable to look away from his compelling features.

  ‘Okay, I’ll see you later, then.’ Matthew nodded to the other man before leaving.

  ‘You found out my name.’ She said the first thing that came into her head.

  He nodded, a mocking smile lifting the corners of his mouth. ‘Stacy Adams,’ he drawled slowly. ‘Very professional.’

  She flushed at his intended mockery. ‘There’s nothing professional about it, it happens to be my name,’ she snapped. ‘At least, the name I was given at the orphanage,’ she added resentfully.

  He looked unperturbed. ‘How long were you in an orphanage?’

  ‘All my life, until I was sixteen.’

  ‘Poor kid,’ he said softly.

  Her eyes flashed angrily. ‘I had quite a happy childhood as childhoods go. I certainly don’t need your sympathy.’

  ‘You aren’t getting it,’ he retorted hardly. ‘I came over here to tell you you’ve been reinstated. You still have the part of Kate.’

  CHAPTER TWO

  SHE shook her head disbelievingly. ‘I don’t understand. Mr Payne sacked me.’

  ‘And now he’s changed his mind.’

  Stacy gave him a sharp look. ‘This is your doing, isn’t it? You got him to change his mind.’

  He gave a soft laugh. ‘How could I get him to do that? I don’t have that sort of influence.’

  ‘You spoke to Mr Weston, then.’

  ‘And if I did?’ he watched her through narrowed eyes. ‘You’re making it sound as if you’d rather be out of a job.’

  ‘No, I— But what about Paul Forbes? He isn’t going to like it.’


  ‘No one’s asking him to. Just leave Forbes to me.’

  ‘But I—’

  ‘Forget about him, Stacy,’ he ordered abruptly. ‘Just concentrate on playing Kate.’

  ‘You know my name, but I don’t know yours,’ she said almost shyly.

  ‘It’s Jake.’

  She frowned. ‘Don’t you find that rather confusing?’

  ‘Not at all. Does my name bother you, because if it does you could always change it. What would you like my name to be?’

  Stacy gave a nervous laugh. ‘Stop teasing me!’

  ‘So who’s teasing? What’s in a name anyway? My mother named me and you were given yours by some stranger at the orphanage, but who’s to say either of us have the right name for us? You can have whatever name you choose. Do you like the name Stacy?’

  ‘Yes, yes, I do.’

  ‘So do I,’ he nodded agreement. ‘But I’m not that worried whether I’m called Jake or Harry, or any other name for that matter. You choose.’

  She laughed shakily. ‘You’re mad! There’s nothing wrong with your name, I was just surprised that it was the same as your employer.’

  He shrugged. ‘That’s something that can’t be helped. I’m sure there must be thousands of Jakes in the world, I was bound to meet a few of them.’

  ‘Okay, okay,’ she laughed, feeling as if they were going round and round in circles. ‘I give in—Jake.’

  The intimacy of his gaze deepened. ‘I wish all my women conceded defeat that easily,’ he said softly, almost caressingly.

  ‘I’m not conceding defeat, and I’m certainly not one of your women!’ she snapped.

  ‘How old are you, Stacy?’

  ‘What does that have to do with anything?’

  ‘Just answer the question.’

  ‘I’m nineteen,’ she told him resentfully.

  ‘And I’m exactly twice that,’ he mused. ‘And yet I want you to know that I find you very attractive, very desirable.’

  ‘You—’ she gulped. ‘You do?’

  ‘I do,’ he confirmed. ‘Has anyone told you that you look beautiful tonight?’

  She was becoming increasingly embarrassed, finding his sudden compliments a little too sudden. ‘It has been mentioned,’ she was deliberately blasé about it.