Tycoon for Hire

Together they climbed the broad stairs and entered the huge ballroom that was already crowded. Steven’s sharp eyes saw at once that Jennifer outshone every other woman in the room. She knew how to choose perfume too. The elusive aroma that reached him was warm, with the faintest hint of musk. It wasn’t the perfume of a young girl, but a woman, with all that implied.

He wondered what kind of lover had touched her heart. Had she chosen a giant among men? And what was she like when she was with him? Did her curved mouth grow tender and her dark eyes glow with desire?

They moved through the crowd, smiling and uttering greetings. Several people knew him, and Steven had a nervous time steering her away from them. He would be lucky to get through tonight without discovery, he realised.

‘Come to the bar,’ he muttered. ‘There’s something we need to talk about while I get you a drink.’

‘I’ll have an orange juice, since I’ll be driving home.’

‘Two orange juices,’ Steven told the barman. He grinned at Jennifer. ‘Just in case you change your mind.’

‘Meaning you think you can change it for me?’ she challenged him.

‘Is that what I meant? Thanks for letting me know.’

His eyes were teasing, and Jennifer couldn’t help smiling back. ‘That’s exactly what you meant,’ she said. She turned back to look at the room. And then the smile froze on her face.

David was standing a few feet away from her.

CHAPTER TWO

JENNIFER had wondered if David would be here. Now she realized that she’d always secretly expected him. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of his perfect features under thick, wavy, fair hair.

He looked in her direction and Jennifer saw the shock in his eyes. In another moment he would hold out his hands to her and all their differences would be forgotten. But he stayed frozen, his mouth opening and closing. He seemed confused. Then a young woman laid a hand on his arm, and he bowed his handsome head attentively towards her.

Jennifer stood there, stunned. David had turned away from her. There was a bleak, blind look in her eyes, and she forgot everything else, including Steven, watching her face closely.

Perhaps, she thought, David too had hired a companion. But a glance at the young woman banished that thought. She was mousy, and didn’t know how to make the best of herself. This wasn’t a professional. She was ‘real’.

Jennifer’s insides twisted at the thought that David had found someone else so soon. Then the girl smiled at him. It was a gentle, heartfelt smile, and it made her face charming. Jennifer was unable to control her little gasp. Steven heard it, and his eyes narrowed with interest.

‘So that’s him,’ he murmured in Jennifer’s ear.

‘Him—who?’

‘The pretty boy with the dull girl.’

‘I don’t know what you mean by pretty boy—’

‘He’s like a sugar figure on top of a wedding cake.’

‘Can we drop this?’ she asked with an effort.

‘But why? I’m only here to show him that you don’t give a damn. So let’s show him—unless you’re scared?’

‘Of course not,’ she said quickly.

‘Then take the bull by the horns.’

‘You’re right.’ She advanced on David with her hands outstretched. ‘David! How lovely to see you.’

He too recovered himself, and she knew he hadn’t expected to find her here with another man. ‘Jennifer,’ he said. ‘What a—a lovely surprise.’

‘But you knew I planned to come.’

‘Yes—er—yes, of course. It’s just that—let me introduce you to Penny.’ He hastily drew forward the young woman, who gave Jennifer a nervous look, followed immediately by her delightful smile.

‘This is Steven Leary,’ Jennifer said. As the men shook hands she began to feel more confident. At least David knew she wasn’t sitting forlornly at home, waiting for the phone to ring, and he need never know how often she’d done just that.

She slipped her arm through Steven’s and he responded on cue, smiling into her eyes with a theatrical intensity that was almost fatuous. She had a mad desire to giggle, as though the two of them were engaged in a private joke that nobody else understood. Not even David.

He was frowning uneasily, as though the sight of her with another man displeased him. But then Penny claimed his attention and he turned away. Jennifer kept her head up and her smile in place, but it was hard.

Fifty round tables filled the room, each seating eight guests. Jennifer didn’t know whether to be glad or dismayed to find that she was at the same table as David and Penny. They were almost opposite her, so she could see how gallantly he drew out her chair. He was always an attentive dinner companion, Jennifer thought wistfully. It made him charming to be with. She averted her eyes.

‘Tell me about David Conner,’ Steven said. ‘What does he do?’

‘He owns a small firm making machine tools,’ Jennifer said.

‘Did he start it himself?’

‘No, his father left it to him.’

The meal kept them occupied for a while. Steven played his part to perfection, attending to all her wants and smiling. Then there were speeches. Jennifer was facing the top table, but David and Penny had to turn around, so she could watch them without being seen. She noticed that David didn’t rest his hand on his companion’s arm, but sometimes he would lean close to speak to her, so that their hair touched.

The speeches ended and the mood became relaxed. People began drifting from table to table. One or two dropped by to talk to her. She did some useful networking, and when she’d finished she noticed that Steven was sitting with David and Penny. David was talking earnestly, and Steven was listening with a frown of concentration that made Jennifer wonder if he were concealing boredom.

‘How about asking me to dance?’ she said.

‘My lady has only to command,’ Steven replied, and led her onto the floor for a waltz.

‘You don’t know what a rare pleasure it is to dance with a woman tall enough to look me in the eye,’ he observed. ‘Usually I get a crick in my neck.’

‘I thought I ought to rescue you from David.’

‘Afraid all his serious talk would be above my head, huh?’

‘What did you tell him about us?’

‘That I was your toyboy, of course.’

‘Can’t you be serious for a minute?’

‘I’ll tell you this seriously. I’m not sure I ought to help you get him back. You might end up married to him, and how would I ever forgive myself?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘He’s not the man you need. You’d always be fighting with him for the mirror.’