Authors: Margaret Tanner
At three minutes past seven, a knock sounded at the door and she almost ran to open it. “Count to thirty, you don’t want to appear too anxious.” When she got to twenty-nine, she opened the door.
“Well, Caroline.” Bryce smiled, showing a dimple in his chin. “Turn around. You look beautiful.” He stared at her as if he couldn’t believe his eyes.
“Would you care to come in?” She stepped back a pace as he followed her inside. His eyes took the room in with a single glance. By the expression on his face it didn’t impress him.
“I’m ready. I just have to collect my bag.”
Returning to the room, she found him sitting on the couch, one immaculately-clad leg crossed over the other. He rose to his feet the moment she entered the room. In a dark navy dinner suit with velvet lapels, he looked like a movie star.
“Aren’t you taking an evening jacket or something for your shoulders?” he asked.
“What?” She dragged her gaze away from him. “No, I won’t need one, it’s still quite warm.” Not for a king’s ransom would she tell him she didn’t possess anything suitable.
“Then if you’re ready, we might as well go.”
“I’ve got my shorthand notebook in my bag,” she told him as they headed towards the door.
“Good, I don’t think you’ll need to take any notes, but you never know.”
He put his hand under her elbow as they walked towards the car. How warm and strong his fingers felt. When he had made sure she was comfortably seated, he strode around to the driver’s side and climbed in. She felt like royalty. As they stopped at a set of traffic lights, she reveled in the envious looks cast her way. Now she knew what Cinderella felt like, going to the ball in a fancy coach. Hopefully she wouldn’t turn into a pumpkin at midnight.
She wasn’t a vain girl, quite the reverse, in fact, having been put down most of her life by her mother’s disparaging observations. But tonight she looked well, and she sensed Bryce’s approval. He didn’t speak as they drove along. She didn’t know where they were going and didn’t like to ask. As it turned out, the dinner was being held in a private convention room at the Hilton Hotel.
Bryce parked the car in the hotel car park; once again he put his hand under her elbow when she alighted and static electricity raced up her arm. They received several interested, speculative glances as they made their way up the carpeted stairs leading from the hotel foyer. They stopped at a door embossed with the word “Private” in gold lettering.
They were the last couple to arrive. On Bryce’s entry, several middle-aged executives hastened towards him, bringing their partners with them. Bryce introduced her simply as Caroline. He didn’t bother giving her surname or to add that she was his secretary.
Designer clothes hugged the bodies of the mostly slim women, but her dress would pass the closest scrutiny. Bryce accepted two sherries from a passing waiter. He gave her one and kept the other for himself. She only spoke when addressed directly, but found it easy enough to converse with these women, who thought she must be one of their own kind; wealthy and socially well-connected.
A tall, impeccably-groomed older man strolled over to them. He had steel gray hair and the same eyes as Bryce, Alexander Harrington, without a doubt.
“Oh, Bryce, there you are.”
“Hello, Dad. Didn’t mother come?”
“No. You know why, too. She’s at home with Ashley and Sybil Fontain.”
Bryce gave a careless shrug. “This is Caroline. Caroline, my father.”
“Oh, my dear, I do beg your pardon. I didn’t realize you were together.” He smiled at her and she instantly liked him. She gave a tentative smile back. He surveyed her, taking in every aspect of her appearance without seeming to be rude. Here was a gentleman of the old school. It was written all over him.
“Excuse me, there’s someone I want to see for a moment.” Bryce strode off, leaving Caroline with his father.
“Well, my dear, would you care for another drink?”
“No thank you.”
He helped himself to a dry sherry and sipped at it thoughtfully. “How long have you been working for the company?”
“About eight months or so.” She gave a nervous smile. Alexander made it obvious, without being rude, that he was curious about why Bryce had invited her. She would give up a months pay to know, also.
Bryce came back. “Sorry about deserting you.” He mouthed the polite platitude, but he obviously couldn’t care less, having spent his time flirting with a striking brunette, who in turn made cow eyes at him.
“Isn’t that Amanda Cleveland, Sir Arthur’s daughter?” Alexander asked.
“Yes.”
Even Caroline had heard of Sir Arthur Cleveland, the millionaire industrialist. Beauty plus extreme wealth, Amanda just couldn’t miss out. She fought to keep her bitter envy under control.
Bryce and Caroline were escorted to a table near the front of the stage. Alexander Harrington was seated farther down the room. The other people at their table were strangers, although a couple of the men seemed vaguely familiar. Had she seen their pictures in the financial or society pages of the newspapers?
Bryce introduced her to them, but none of their names rang any bells, either.
The appetizer was oysters and caviar served in a pastry shell. So this was how the other half lived. She ate slowly, savoring every delicious mouthful.
The men and one of the women seemed quite friendly and Caroline found it easy to strike up a conversation. In fact, she felt so comfortable with one elderly gent, a real honey, they swapped jokes.
Bryce watched Caroline through half-closed, speculative eyes. When animated, her huge eyes shone like blue beacons, her mouth curved into a mischievous smile. Effortlessly she had the old geezers eating out of her hand. Dull as dishwater, yet she made them laugh.
For the first time, he really surveyed her. On several occasions in the office he’d noticed her slim legs. Her pale skin had the texture of fine porcelain, and he fought the overwhelming urge to touch it. Her well-shaped lips had a vulnerable softness about them when she wasn’t smiling. When she leaned forward, he saw her breasts, creamy white and as flawless as the rest of her flesh. What would she taste like? Hell, what was wrong with him?
Relief washed over him when he had to get up and walk to the dais to give his speech. Adjusting the microphone to his height, he began, glancing at his notes only now and again. His speech went well, and he nodded his thanks when the clapping died down.
When he returned to the table, Caroline was fulsome with her praise. “That sounded terrific, Mr. Harrington.”
“Bryce, please. We aren’t in the office now.”
“It read well when I typed it out, but when you spoke, the words seemed to come alive.”
“Thanks, glad you approve.”
After coffee and tiny almond-flavored biscuits were served, they started circulating. He clasped her hand firmly to keep her near him. He wasn’t prepared to fathom out why, but he liked having her close. The sweet, subtle perfume of her skin nearly drove him crazy.
“We’ve got work in the morning, not like some of these people here,” he finally whispered.
He still held Caroline’s hand as they strolled over to say goodnight to his father.
“Tell mother I’ll be over one evening towards the end of the week.”
“All right, son. Goodnight, Caroline. It was a pleasure meeting you.”
“Nice meeting you too, Mr. Harrington.” The sincerity in her voice was touching. “I always wondered what you looked like. Now I know.”
“Ah, well, I hope I didn’t disappoint you.” He chuckled.
“Oh, no, you’re as distinguished as I imagined you would be.” Her smile lit up her face, turning mere prettiness into beauty.
Bryce held her hand as they went out to the car.
“I had a lovely time. Thank you.” She favored him with a sensational smile.
“I enjoyed it, too.” Surprisingly he had. Normally he found these functions tedious. He couldn’t understand why it had seemed so different tonight. What a damn lie. It was because of Caroline.
They drove in silence and Caroline’s eyes grew heavy. She woke with a start when the car pulled up outside her place.
“I’m so sorry,” she said.
He gave a soft, intimate laugh. “No need to apologize. You didn’t snore.”
She felt herself blush. Thank goodness he couldn’t see it in the darkness. She fumbled with her seat belt.
“Thanks once again for a wonderful evening.”
She heard his sudden, sharp intake of breathe. How it happened she didn’t know or care, but all at once his arms clamped around her and his mouth claimed hers in a gentle, exploratory kiss. When her lips responded of their own volition, his kiss deepened. He pulled her closer into his embrace until she half lay across his knees.
He brushed aside one of the straps on her frock and his mouth seared a fiery trail of kisses from ear to throat. His hand cupped her breast and she was shocked when her nipples hardened.
He must have felt her response. “Oh, God,” he groaned.
This was absolute madness. “Bryce, please stop.” Her body felt as if it had self-combusted. For the first time in her life she felt physical desire. Raw, fiery, hot and desperate. If she didn’t stop him right now, she wouldn’t be able to summon the will-power to halt his lovemaking. She wanted him to love her, but not like this.
He pulled away at her insistence. “You have hidden fires,” he said huskily.
She tidied her clothing while he lit a cigarette, and after inhaling the smoke he regained command of himself once more.
“Come on. I’ll see you to your door.” They alighted from the car and he escorted her to the front door of the apartment, but made no move to touch her again. She inserted the key in the lock. He waited without speaking until she reached inside and turned the light on.
“Goodnight, Caroline.” With a brief wave, he strode off.
She crept inside so as not to waken Kerry. Taking off her dress in the bathroom, she had a quick wash, dragged on her nightgown and crawled into bed.
Having dreamed for months about Bryce’s kisses
she now
knew. They were
devastating. The passion he so quickly aroused in her was unbelievable, scary. Blood rushed to her head on remembering how far she’d let him go before calling a halt. Would he think she was the kind of girl who would go all the way on a first date? That she was easy? Fair game because she came from the w
orking class?
Chapter Six
Next morning Caroline groaned when the alarm beeped. She felt as if she’d only just fallen asleep. Kerry got up first, which left her to crawl out of bed and fix breakfast. She rinsed her hands then splashed cold water on
her face at the kitchen sink before starting their tea and toast.
“How did it go last night? You were
home late
” Kerry breezed into the kitchen dressed in her work uniform.
“Terrific, fabulous, he kissed me.” Caroline’s eyes sparkled. “It was wonderful.”
“Don’t get too carried away,” Kerry warned. “It’s quite usual for a man to kiss a woman after he’s taken her out, especially if they’ve both had a couple of drinks, washes away their inhibitions.”
“I can’t wait to get to work and see what he says. He might even ask me out again.”
Kerry looked ferocious. “My God! You didn’t let him go the whole way?”
“What do you mean, the whole way?” Oh, no. Caroline felt hot all over. Surely Kerry didn’t think…
“You know what I mean. But you didn’t, did you, Caro, surely? Just because a man wants to make love to you, it doesn’t mean he’s in love with you.”
“No, he didn’t make love to me.”
“Thank goodness for that. You should go out with more men. That way you’ll get more experience and know what to expect.”
“I’ll be late,” Caroline wailed after glancing at the clock. She bolted down the rest of her breakfast and dashed into the bathroom for a quick shower. No matter what Kerry said, Bryce liked her as a woman. She felt certain of it. He’ll probably ask me out again. ‘Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer,’ she sang her favorite Monkees’ tune as she toweled herself dry.
December
in
Australia
was warm. She slipped into a sleeveless shirt-style frock with red and white stripes. In case a cool change blew in later, she took a white cardigan as well. After giving her hair a vigorous brush, she applied a touch of lipstick and eye shadow before rejoining
Kerry in the kitchen.
They left the apartment and headed towards the bus stop. Caroline spied the bus at the top of the street. “Come on, Kerry.” They sprinted the last few yards and just managed to catch it. Packed as usual Caroline thought, trying to catch her breath.
She glanced at a fellow passenger’s newspaper and the headlines screamed
.
Police arrest
dozens of demonstrators.
What had Kerry been up to last night? “How did the protest meeting go?”
“Good. About three hundred people turned up at the army barracks. There’s a new batch of conscripts being sworn in tomorrow.”