Page 36

Realising that everyone in the restaurant was staring at them, Bryony flushed scarlet and tugged Jack’s arm.

‘For goodness’ sake, Jack! Everyone’s looking at us.’

Jack gave a dismissive shrug that indicated just how little he was bothered by other people’s opinions and then he smiled as his date for the evening joined them. ‘Nina, this is David. He’s offered to take you home.’

Nina gave Jack a longing look that left no one in any doubt as to how she felt about him. And then she sighed and shot David a dazzling smile. ‘If you’re sure it’s no trouble…’

Wondering why Nina was giving up so easily, Bryony watched as David’s eyes dropped to the neckline of Nina’s dress which revealed a hypnotic amount of female flesh.

He stared in blatant fascination and then finally cleared his throat and dragged his gaze up to Nina’s. ‘It’s no trouble at all,’ he said hoarsely and Bryony resisted the temptation to scream with frustration.

Men were just so pathetic!

Boiling with anger, she said goodnight to David and Nina and followed Jack across the car park.

He unlocked the car and opened the door for her and she slid inside and yanked at the seat belt.

As Jack settled himself in the driver’s seat, she let rip.

‘David was my date! You had no right to interfere.’

Jack reversed out of his parking space. ‘I merely offered to take you home.’

‘You didn’t offer, Jack,’ she said caustically, ‘you insisted. David was taking me home and he was ready to argue until your Nina thrust her chest in his face.’

Jack grinned, maddeningly unperturbed by her outburst. ‘Impressive, isn’t she? I thought as I was taking you away from him, I ought to offer him something in compensation.’

‘So I suppose she was the booby prize?’ Bryony’s voice dripped sarcasm and Jack’s grin widened.

‘Booby prize.’ He repeated her words and chuckled with appreciation. ‘I admit I hadn’t thought of it in exactly those terms, but now you mention it…’

Bryony ground her teeth in frustration. ‘You are so hypocritical, do you know that? You have the nerve to criticise my black dress and then you go out with a girl who has a cleavage the size of the Grand Canyon and shows it off to the entire population. I didn’t notice you covering her up with a coat.’

Jack glanced across at her and in the semi-darkness she could see his eyes twinkling wickedly. ‘It would have had to be a big coat and it seemed a shame to deprive everyone of the view,’ he drawled, and she felt fury mix with a very different emotion.

Hurt.

When Nina wore a low-cut dress, Jack obviously thought she looked incredibly attractive. But when she wore one he thought she looked awful and tried to cover her up.

David had said that she looked nice but, thanks to Jack, David was now with Nina and was doubtless enjoying the view as much as all the other men in the restaurant.

And she was with a man who didn’t find her attractive and never would.

‘There are times when I hate you, Jack Rothwell,’ she muttered, and he gave a soft laugh.

‘I don’t know what you’re getting so worked up about, Blondie.’

For once his use of her nickname irritated her. ‘He was my date, Jack. My date. And you ruined it.’

To her utter humiliation she felt a lump starting in her throat. She wasn’t going to cry in front of Jack.

But fortunately Jack had his eyes fixed on the road. ‘How did I ruin it?’

‘You really need to ask that question?’ She stared at him incredulously. ‘I was spending the evening with a man and you suddenly dived in and insisted on taking me home. And I really don’t understand why.’

In the moonlight she saw the muscle in his jaw flicker. ‘The roads are icy. I didn’t want him driving you.’

Her jaw fell open. ‘You think you’re the only man who can drive on ice?’