Ice In His Veins

‘No! Because if I did that your precious Isobel might come under fire.’

‘I believe we’ve already dealt with my relationship to Isobel,’ he warned harshly.

‘Well,’ Tim broke the awkward silence, ‘this is a—a——’

‘Surprise?’ Eden finished sweetly. ‘Yes, isn’t it? Mr Earle and I were quite bowled over by the surprise of it all. He was the last person I expected to see here this evening.’ Especially with Claire Channing.

‘Let’s dance, Jason,’ Claire suggested, almost sighing her relief when he complied.

Eden studied the bottom of her glass until they were safely away from the table. The last thing she had wanted was to have an argument with Jason Earle in front of the Channings, but he had put her in an awkward position by mentioning her grandfather, forcing her into explanations she would rather not have given, to Tim or anyone else.

‘Why didn’t you tell me you knew Jason?’ Tim hissed angrily. ‘I felt a damned fool just now when he told us.’

‘How could I tell you? I didn’t know he was Claire’s mysterious lover.’

‘But later, when I introduced you,’ he insisted.

She slammed her glass down. ‘I was embarrassed, especially after what you’d told me about Claire and him.’

‘Hell, yes! I’m sorry,’ he reached for her hand, smoothing his thumb over her skin. ‘I had no idea he was almost related to you.’

Her head flicked back defiantly. ‘He isn’t,’ she snapped. ‘Isobel Morton is no relation of mine! And I hardly know Jason Earle. He just called briefly on my parents earlier.’

‘But everyone knows Jason Earle.’

‘Of him,’ she corrected. ‘Can we leave, Tim?’ She put a hand up to her temple. ‘I have a headache,’ she lied. ‘Besides, I’m not enjoying myself, not with him here.’

‘You should have explained to me earlier,’ he chided gently. ‘I know Jason is seeing Isobel Morton in England, and if you’d just told me the connection,’ he shrugged, ‘I would have understood and got you out of here.’

‘Can we leave now?’ she persisted.

‘We’ll make our excuses once they get back.’

‘They’ll probably be relieved to see me go.’ Eden attempted a smile.

The smile faded from her lips as she looked up to meet taunting grey eyes. Her mouth tightened resentfully as she met that gaze defiantly, although it was finally her gaze that dropped and turned away. There was something about Jason Earle that tied her up in knots and brought out the worst in her. But she didn’t know what it was.

Tim stood up. ‘I hope you don’t mind if we leave now,’ he said with a smile. ‘Eden has a headache.’

‘Really?’ Jason Earle obviously didn’t believe this for one minute. ‘Then perhaps we should all leave.’

‘Oh no—please,’ Eden protested sharply. ‘I don’t want to break up your evening. Tim is just going to drive me home.’

‘Oh, do let’s stay, Jason,’ Claire’s hand rested lightly on his thigh as he sat next to her. ‘We only have this evening together. I think it’s very mean of you to make a business appointment for tomorrow evening. No one works on a Sunday,’ she pouted.

Eden had looked at him sharply on hearing Claire’s words. So Jason had told her he had a business meeting tomorrow evening, had he? Now was her chance to hit back at him for his earlier disclosure. And yet one look at his face told her that was exactly what he expected her to do. Well, she wouldn’t give him that satisfaction!

‘I understand you’re only here for a couple of days, Mr Earle,’ she enquired politely.

He nodded distantly. ‘I leave Monday morning.’

She raised her eyebrows. ‘So soon?’

‘My business should be completed by then.’

‘But surely America has other—attractions?’

‘Possibly.’

Claire smiled up at him. ‘It holds me, doesn’t it, darling?’ she purred. Her hard blue eyes flashed to Eden. ‘I’m sure Mrs Morton would understand that I only borrow Jason occasionally.’

‘Would she?’ Eden returned softly.

‘Oh, I’m sure she would. I wouldn’t mind in her position.’

‘No, I don’t suppose you would.’ Eden didn’t like bitching with Claire. They had nothing in common, but they were usually polite to each other. It was Jason Earle again, causing unnecessary friction. ‘And I really couldn’t care whether Mrs Morton would mind or not. I don’t owe her any favours.’

‘Shall we go, honey?’ Tim lightly touched her arm.

She gave him a bright smile. Poor Tim, he thought she was going to get into another argument. ‘Yes, let’s. Goodnight, Claire, Mr Earle.’

‘Until tomorrow, Eden,’ came Jason Earle’s parting shot.

‘Goodnight,’ she repeated hurriedly, taking hold of Tim’s arm and pulling him away. She would meet Jason Earle for dinner tomorrow if only to tell him what she thought of him! He had taken malicious satisfaction in that last comment.

Tim hung back. ‘What did he mean by that?’ he demanded to know. ‘Are you seeing him tomorrow?’

She sighed. ‘Wait until we get outside, Tim.’

‘But——’

‘Outside, Tim,’ she pleaded.

He gave in reluctantly and she could see he was very annoyed. And she couldn’t blame him for feeling that way, she was angry herself.

‘Now,’ he turned to her in the warm confines of the car, ‘what did he mean?’

‘I’m having dinner with him tomorrow.’

‘With Jason?’

She couldn’t meet the accusation in his eyes. ‘Yes.’

‘But why?’ he frowned. ‘You aren’t dating him too, are you?’

‘Certainly not,’ she denied indignantly. ‘I would have thought it was obvious that I can’t stand the man. He wants to talk to me about my grandfather, try to persuade me to go and see him.’

‘I see. I just didn’t realise Drew was your stepfather.’