Authors: Jayne Castle
"Nat said he told you that he hasn't been able to afford a ring yet. We have an understanding but we haven't made a formal announcement to the world," she reminded him stiffly, trying to recall the few details she and Nat had been able to sketch out when they had evolved the plan.
"And until this formal announcement is made you're allowed to cast that peculiarly speculative female look on other eligible men?" Adam smiled. The smile wasn't very nice, Janna thought nervously.
"I just saw someone I know. That's all," she grumbled by way of explanation.
"Someone sandy-haired, blue-eyed, about six feet and looks as if he plays a lot of tennis?" Adam glanced with evident disinterest in Scott's direction.
"Yes!" she snapped, goaded.
"If you were mine and had the distressing habit of looking at other men in that fashion..." Adam began, his eyes becoming strips of steel behind narrowed lids.
"Well?" Janna challenged, angry now. "What would you do? Beat me?"
"For starters," he admitted deliberately.
Janna lifted furious, taunting eyes to glare at him, uncomfortably aware that Adam's rich voice had deepened with warning and even menace! But he had no right to threaten her, damn it! And he never would. Any woman silly enough to tie herself to Adam Halleck would deserve everything she got.
"Thank the Lord your brother is more civilized," she countered, unable to continue a lecture because the salad plates were being set before them. Adam had no such qualms, however. As soon as the waiter withdrew he leaned forward intently, resting his arms on the white tablecloth.
"A true, civilized gentleman isn't what you need, Janna."
"Nevertheless, it's what I'm looking for," she flung at him, seething. Picking up her fork she stabbed a bite of salad. "I certainly don't want a man who...who threatens me!"
Adam smiled abruptly, the highwayman's grin cutting across his mouth, displaying strong white teeth, humor back in his eyes. In spite of herself, Janna was glad to see the steel fade.
"I think once you know whose woman you really are; know and accept it, you won't give your man too much cause for violence," he said almost lightly. "You'll love with a great deal of strength and passion. I believe that when you finally admit you're in love it will be almost an act of surrender..."
"That sounds horrible!"
"Why? You won't be losing any of your natural spirit or aliveness," he continued more seriously, persuasion imbedded in his tones. "You'll be giving yourself to a man who has shown you that he knows how to appreciate and care for the gift of your love and loyalty..."
For a frightening moment Janna felt almost mesmerized by the intensity of his voice and the glittering depths of the grey-green eyes. It took an effort of will to break the spell the man was casting.
"I much prefer Nat's approach to love and marriage!" she announced grimly, hoping that the mention of his younger brother would recall him to the reality of the situation. She was supposed to be almost engaged to Nat and as much as Adam might disapprove of the situation, he certainly wouldn't try using seduction to separate her from the younger man. Or would he? Janna went cold with a new fear. How did she know to what depths Adam would descend in his efforts to rid his brother of a woman he thought was wrong for him? What a mess! How had she ever let herself be talked into this?
"My brother would have a more conventional approach," Adam nodded agreeably. "Which is why I mentioned your lack of a ring..."
"I told you...!"
"Yes, I know. He couldn't afford one. But I don't see why not. I'm still sending him an allowance and he had a hefty scholarship which covered most of his work on the master's." Adam munched his salad speculatively.
If you only knew, Janna thought with returning humor. The bulk of the allowance had gone into the bank, forming a nest egg for Lucy and Nat. There had, indeed, been enough to buy a ring which looked quite lovely on Lucy's delicate hand!
"I trust," Adam suddenly announced as if the thought had just then occurred to him, "That you're not expecting Nat's allowance to continue after he'd married? I believe a man should learn to make his own way in life and I don't think Nat would expect any help after graduation. Or want it."
"I quite agree. Nat will find a job and until he does, we'll get by without your help. We've got it all planned," she added sweetly.
"Even though there's been no formal announcement?" he asked sardonically.
Janna nodded. "Why not? We both know what we want."
"I find that debatable," Adam retorted rudely.
"Look. Why don't we get off the subject of Nat and myself for a while," Janna suggested ruefully. "It's clear we're not going to find any common ground and we have a long meal to get through before we can leave."
Adam appeared to consider the idea. "What shall we discuss?"
"I don't know!" Janna flung out one hand in a small, helpless gesture. "Anything that doesn't deal with my relationship to Nat! I would like to enjoy the rest of my meal!"
"But your relationship to my brother is the reason I'm having dinner with you in the first place," he pointed out logically, a hint of amusement in the faint quirk of his mouth.
"And you've made your feelings on the subject very clear," she avowed quite firmly, "So let's go on to another topic!"
"Such as?"
"Lord! I don't know! Anything! Your work, science fiction, my work, whatever two normal, civilized people talk about at dinner!"
"Alright. I'm not an unreasonable man," he informed her, "I'll compromise."
"How?" Janna demanded warily.
"I'll agree to keep the conversation off the subject of your association with my brother if you will dance with me for a while after dinner."
"Dance with you!" Janna exclaimed, floored by the request. Except, of course, that it wasn't really a request. Adam was offering a deal. Why?
"The sign out front said there would be a band in the lounge after eight-thirty," Adam explained. "We should be finishing dinner about then. Promise me two dances and I'll let you eat in peace." The grey-green eyes gleamed in amusement as he watched her struggle with the decision.
"Two dances and no more," she finally agreed, frowning severely at him. Surely two dances was a small price to pay in order to keep this creature off the subject of Nat and herself, Janna rationalized privately. The more he insisted on talking about the matter the more likely she was to make a bad mistake and reveal the truth. Yes, two dances was a reasonable exchange for safety.
"The field is now wide open," Adam grinned engagingly as the waiter arrived to fill their wine glasses. "How shall we begin our civilized discussion? I have it. Tell me how you made the batik wall hangings."
"That batiks?" Janna glanced at him in surprise. "They interest you?"
"Why not? I confess to a certain fascination with how things are created," Adam told her, one broad shoulder lifting in a slight shrug as he reached for a dinner roll.
"Because of your work in construction?"
"I suppose so. I enjoy learning about the processes behind a piece of construction. Any kind of construction. So tell me how batiks are made. Wax is used somewhere alone the line, isn't it?"
"Well, yes, it is," Janna began slowly and then, becoming more involved with her subject, she launched into a discussion on the Indonesian method of handprinting textiles.
"Where do you get the ideas for your designs?" Adam prompted when she began to wind down.
Janna chuckled, thinking of the unicorns, dragons and strange fish which filled her walls. "I have a weakness for fantasy creatures. I imagine you must have noticed!"
"I expect it comes from reading too much science fiction," Adam smiled kindly. And with that comment the conversation flowed naturally into what turned out to be an area of mutual interest.
The good food and wine, combined with relief that she no longer had to watch her tongue for fear of saying something suspicious, put Janna into an almost mellow frame of mind by the time dinner ended. She rose obediently after Adam had settled the check and prepared to allow herself to be guided into the adjacent lounge. The prospect of paying for her peaceful meal was almost appealing now. It was only as she was walking toward the exit that she remembered Scott's entrance earlier. She had meant to try and see if she recognized his date for the evening. Very casually Janna turned her head slightly to glance in the direction of Scott's table. He was sitting with his back to her so there was no chance to catch his eye and smile in an easy, friendly fashion. As for his date, Janna had only a brief glimpse of cascading coppery curls before her perusal was interrupted by Adam's large hand tightening on her arm. His words dropped warningly in her ear, the steel in them very evident.
"If I catch you looking in the Bearded Delight's direction one more time you'll find the heel of my shoe on your toe," he promised softly. "And since I outweigh you by a considerable margin, I can guarantee you won't have to fake a limp afterward!"
"Bearded Delight!" Janna gasped, infuriated by this description of one of the most eligible members of the faculty she was likely to encounter. "How can you be so insulting? You don't even know Scott!" Nevertheless, in spite of her indignation, Janna didn't glance again in the assistant professor's direction. Adam Halleck was ruthless enough to carry out his threat. The man was a barbarian! How could she have been lulled into thinking otherwise during dinner?
"I don't plan to get to know Scott, either," Adam remarked calmly. "I trust you won't force the issue!"
"What are you talking about?" Janna hissed as they crossed the threshold into the lounge where a small band was producing soothing, danceable sounds for a cozy group of tables.
"Never mind." Adam commandeered a nearby table.
"We'll worry about it when the time comes. But right now I'm more interested in collecting my dances." He pushed a still fuming Janna gently into the chair, signaled the waitress and ordered two after-dinner drinks.
"You must have a great deal of trouble maintaining good relations with the women in your life," Janna gritted. "How many of your dates are willing to tolerate your barbaric habits?"
"It's amazing how enough money will make most women ignore a lack of education and refinement," Adam smiled suddenly, not appearing to be the least bitter at the thought.
"Nothing would make me overlook such things," she informed him coldly, goaded into saying the harsh words and regretting them as soon as they were out of her mouth. She hadn't meant to sound cruel, but this man infuriated her!
"Nothing? I think you underestimate yourself, Janna. Now come and dance with me." Adam was on his feet, pulling her up to stand beside him before she could demure. A moment later she was in his arms and experiencing the rare pleasure of feeling like a bit of thistledown on the dance floor. Adam moved them about with an easy masculine grace, making Janna feel as if she was weightless. It was so nice to dance with a man who could make her feel fragile and feminine, she thought fleetingly. It was simply too bad he was also rude, calculating and domineering.
"Very wise, for once," Adam whispered with a small, husky chuckle a few moments later as they drifted by another couple. Somehow, as the music progressed Janna had felt herself being drawn closer and closer until now, when she turned slightly to look up into his face, she realized she was being held much too firmly against the broad chest.
"Who's very wise?" she inquired, attempting to put a tiny amount of distance between them and failing completely.
"You are. You haven't said a word since we began the dance." He smiled down at her. "Now stop trying to pull away and relax again. I like you best when you're in my arms and not arguing!"
"You are the most annoying man I have ever met! Can't you at least make some effort to be polite?" Janna snapped, brows drawing together in a furious little scowl.
"Not with you," he said, the smile broadening into a grin. "Hush, now. We've got one more dance to get through before I take you home." And with that Adam hauled Janna so tightly against him she could barely breath, let alone argue. To struggle would have caused a scene, which was the very last thing she wanted. And there was no doubt that Adam would have casually enforced his will with no regard at all for what others on the dance floor, let alone Janna might think. Feeling rather like a martyr, the pleasure gone from the dance, she tolerated his tight clasp through the second musical number.
"I don't suppose you might like to stay a while longer?" Adam murmured softly as they finished their drinks and Janna made a show of picking up her purse and preparing for departure.
"No, thank you!" She rose with dignity, head high, and started toward the door, leaving Adam to follow.
"Does it occur to you, Janna," he inquired on an almost wistful note which startled her, "that you are every bit as rude to me as you accuse me of being to you?"
"You started it!" she insisted as they left the restaurant for the parking lot. "How would you feel if you were Nat and your brother treated me as you do?" she demanded, climbing into the front seat of the Continental as he held the door. "Constantly trying to break up the relationship?"
"I can't even imagine such a thing happening," he told her bluntly, leaning momentarily on the door frame. "In the first place I would never have thrown us together like this until I had made you mine in every sense of the word. So much mine that you wouldn't be able to contemplate dancing with another man as intimately as you just danced with me, let alone cast predatory looks at other men in a restaurant!"