Perfect Partner

‘Now, Juliet, that’s hardly fair—–’

‘Fair!’ she cut in crossly. ‘That isn’t in your vocabulary either. Really, Michael, you’re just asking for trouble having us in the same room together, let alone actually sitting us next to each other.’

He shrugged. ‘I didn’t notice any fights that end of the table, not physical ones anyway.’

‘That’s because Juliet is too much of a lady to hit a man in public,’ drawled the now familiar voice of Jake Matthews. He looked down at her as he came to stand at her side. ‘Melanie tells me that you’re leaving, and that you usually get a taxi.’ He took a firm hold of her arm. ‘I’ll take you home, then you can—hit me in private,’ he winked at the other man.

Juliet glared up at him resentfully, although some of her anger was directed at Melanie. She usually left her car at home when she came to one of these dinner parties, conscious of the alcohol level, but Melanie didn’t have to go and tell Jake Matthews that.

‘Let go of my arm,’ she ordered. ‘Will you let go!’ she repeated as he made no effort to do so. ‘If you don’t let me go,’ she warned softly, ‘I’m likely to hit you now, public or no public.’

He studied her mutinous face in silence for several long minutes. ‘I believe you would too,’ he said slowly.

‘She would,’ Michael told him dryly. ‘Take my advice, Jake, and let her go.’

He made no effort to do so, but looked calmly at Michael. ‘If she hits me I’m going to kiss her,’ he revealed softly.

‘You wouldn’t!’ Juliet gasped.

Those deep blue eyes were now turned on her. ‘Try me,’ he challenged softly.

He would do it, she could see that in the steadiness of his gaze, the determination of his jutting jaw. ‘Would you please release my arm, Mr Matthews?’ she requested tightly, hating the use of his superior strength. Unlike a lot of women nowadays she was quite prepared to admit that in physical strength most men were superior to women, although she didn’t believe they were superior in any other way!

‘Jake,’ he corrected huskily.

‘Jake,’ she said through gritted teeth, sure that he was bruising her arm.

‘Certainly I’ll let you go, Juliet.’ She was instantly set free. ‘Now, are you ready to leave?’

‘I’m not going anywhere with you, you—–’

‘I could still kiss you,’ he affably interrupted her angry tirade.

She looked over at the grinning Michael. ‘Well, don’t just stand there,’ she snapped. ‘Help me!’

He was looking at the other man with open admiration. ‘I’ve always wanted to do something like that,’ he spoke almost in awe. ‘But I don’t think Melanie would stand for it,’ he added ruefully.

‘Neither will I!’ Juliet exploded. ‘Mr Matthews, you—–’

‘We’re leaving, Michael,’ Jake once again grasped Juliet’s arm. ‘Say goodnight to your lovely, and helpful, wife for us.’

The last Juliet saw of Michael was as Jake Matthews bundled her across the room and out of the house. She had never been treated so high-handedly in her life before, and was literally speechless as the passenger door of the Ferrari was opened for her, Jake walking around the back of the car to get in behind the wheel, his presence at once overwhelming.

‘Did I bore you that much?’ he asked once they had been driving in silence for several minutes.

Juliet blinked dazedly, her lashes long and silky. ‘Bore me?’ she repeated.

‘Mm,’ he nodded. ‘So much so that you escaped the first opportunity you could.’

‘I didn’t escape!’ Her eyes flashed like a sparkling red wine. ‘I was simply talking to Michael. We were at a dinner party, Mr Matthews, it’s usual to converse with one’s host.’

‘You would have come back to me?’

‘No, I wouldn’t! We didn’t go there together, I saw no reason to stay at your side,’ she scowled.

‘But I saw every reason for staying at yours,’ he smiled that infuriating smile. ‘I like the way you look, Juliet. And I like your spirit. Will you have dinner with me tomorrow?’

‘Certainly not,’ she replied irritably. ‘You see, I don’t like anything about you.’

‘Nothing?’ he quirked one dark eyebrow questioningly.

‘Nothing,’ she told him rebelliously.

He slowed the car right down, turning off into a side-road before stopping the car completely. He left the engine running as he turned in his seat to look at her. ‘You have the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen,’ he said almost incredulously, his hand at her nape pulling her slowly towards him. ‘The colour of sherry,’ he murmured throatily.

She watched him almost as if in a dream, was conscious of his movements and yet unable to stop him. She knew he was going to kiss her seconds before his mouth claimed hers, knew it and yet didn’t fight him. Let him take his kiss, it was easier than fighting him, and she would never see him again after tonight anyway. She waited resignedly, wishing it over.

But the second his lips touched hers she knew this was no ordinary kiss. Jake held her face between his hands as his mouth discovered hers, as his lips probed and parted hers with throbbing urgency, their ragged breathing the only sound in the car, the air between them charged with electricity.

When Jake finally moved back they were both pale, Juliet’s eyes, the eyes that had apparently prompted the kiss, wide with bewilderment. She had been kissed by other men, quite a few in fact, and yet her senses still swam from the impact of this one.

‘Dinner tomorrow?’ he repeated persuasively.

Her hand resting on his chest told her his heart was beating as erratically as her own. ‘What time?’ she heard herself ask breathlessly.

‘Eight-thirty?’

‘Fine,’ she nodded.

‘Juliet …’ he groaned before his lips once more claimed hers.

It was just like before, that same liquid fire in her veins, that same dizzy feeling, as if she had drunk too much champagne. And yet she had only had a couple of glasses of wine, so it wasn’t that. No, it was this man making her feel drunk, with passion.

‘No, Jake!’ She managed to gain enough strength to wrench away, coming slowly to her senses. ‘Please, we’re on view here!’ She straightened her hair.

Jake still held her, his lips nuzzling her throat. ‘Your place or mine?’

‘Neither.’ She moved completely out of his arms, her voice edged with the shock she couldn’t hide. ‘You like to work fast, Mr Matthews,’ she said tautly.

He shrugged. ‘I usually know what I want, and how to get it.’

As he had known exactly how to get her to agree to seeing him tomorrow! She had acted like the besotted fool he had made her feel. ‘Not tonight,’ she told him coldly.

‘Too soon?’

Her blood boiled at his arrogance. ‘Much too soon.’ It would always be too soon for them! ‘My home is the other way,’ she pointed to distantly as she realised where they were parked.

‘Okay, direct me,’ he accepted her refusal resignedly, and turned in his seat to accelerate the car back out into the flow of traffic.