Free Love Play by Rosemary Rogers by Unknown Page B

added the last softly, like a challenge,
his hard eyes flickering over her rather dishevelled state.
    'Not privileged enough to be able to walk in here without knocking!'
Sara responded heatedly, choosing to forget what he had told her earlier. 'This
is my dressing room, and . . .'
    'Of course I knew it was your dressing room!' he said smoothly, one
black eyebrow tilting with mocking amusement at her sputtering fury. 'Why else
would I be here, after all? I thought I would take you to lunch, since everyone
else has gone to the cafeteria. Or are you fasting as a form of penance for
some sin?'
    'Sin? Why . . . now just you listen to me . . .!'
    'It is too bad that American schools do not teach that sentences should
never be allowed to trail away into nothing! If you begin to say something,
then you should finish what you have begun, yes? But no matter — there is still
time for lunch if you hurry. Come.'
    He had uttered that curt command to her before, taking it for granted
that she would follow her leader. But this time . . .
    'No!' Sara said loudly, hoping she had sounded curt and positive enough.
He ought to understand that one word, rely!
    But no — he already had hold of her wrist, pulling her with him,
seemingly without any effort at all. Her wrist felt paralysed and her feet
seemed to move of their own volition, Sara could have cried with rage and
frustration. Why had he come back to torment her, the dark demon of her dream?
Why wasn't she fighting with more determi¬nation his arrogance, his calm
presumptions?
    'It is very obvious that you are the kind of woman who subconsciously
desires having her mind made up for her. I am   sure you did not take the time for breakfast this morning, and you do
not look as if you can afford to miss another meal!' His black eyes raked over
her slim body with scathing impatience, as if she had been a stupid child who
needed to be reprimanded.
    'It... it's really none of your business if I miss a meal or NOT!'
    Sara's words came between gasps. If he hadn't been tagging her along
quite so fast she would really have enjoyed giving him a piece of her mind! Bully!
Her mind hesitated over the word before she thought it defiantly, Bastard!
    He chose to ignore her feeble rebellion, hurrying her along with only
perfunctory words of caution before she (inevitably) tripped over trailing
wires, having to be recovered by him with the same careless ease that he might
retrieve a long pass in football.
    'Here we are.' His voice
sounded brisk and businesslike. The black-lettered sign over the door read:
Paul Drury.
    Not another meal with Paul and Monique! Unable to speak by now, Sara
shook her head vigorously, hanging back against his grip in a last, rebellious
spurt of energy.
    This time it took his arm around her waist to take her inside. He was
frowning at her. 'You are acting very strangely, Delight. Have you been
drinking - or is it those pills that everyone here seems to take?'
    She wouldn't deign to answer his sneering question even if she could!
Sara turned her shoulder on him after he had released her; leaving her to sink
down ungraciously into a chair.
    'Paul is kind enough to let me use his office when I need it.
Unfortunately, he will not be here this afternoon. But the lunch is all ready
as I ordered it, and I am sure you will find it a little better than your
cafeteria food!'
    A chilled glass of white wine appeared before her; tiny globules of
water misting its crystal surface. The hand that set it down was strong and
tanned - a few black, curling hairs growing around the wrist and forearm. He
wore a strange signet ring of gold with a raised, encrusted seal in diamonds.
    Pulling her eyes away hastily, Sara gulped in a deep breath of air.
    'You would not be out of breath, Signorina Delight, if you had enough
fresh air and exercise of the right kind -- and fewer late nights.' His deep
voice was without inflection, but his words were enough to goad Sara into
lifting her chin and meeting his