‘What a crush,’ he said and then turned to the other woman. ‘Glad I found you, Dianna. Denver Clarkson’s been looking for you. Something about some prospective advertisers for Chloe, I think.’

Dianna excused herself with obvious reluctance and left them.

‘Hi, Keira!’ Daniel ran his eyes over Keira’s outfit and whistled softly. ‘Wow! You look great.’

‘For an old broad?’ Keira finished, and he laughed.

‘Yeah. Exactly. Well, I guess the magazine’s going to be a winner if tonight’s anything to go by.’ Daniel beamed at his uncle, apparently undaunted by Eden’s obvious disapproval of the easy banter between Keira and his nephew. ‘So it would seem this might be the best time to ask for a raise in pay.’ He winked at Keira before turning back to Eden. ‘What do you say?’

‘I’d say not a particularly good taste comment when you take into consideration the industrial action that’s pending,’ his uncle remarked drily.

‘Oops! Bad timing on my part. Sorry, Eden. I forgot about the distributors being restless. I’d better change the subject. Something funny just happened,’ he chattered on. ‘Someone asked me to introduce them to Aunt Aggie but I didn’t want to spoil their image of her. You know, grey hair, glasses on the end of her nose, short and grandmotherly.’

‘And she isn’t?’ Eden remarked, and Daniel chuckled.

‘Shall I tell him, Keira?’

Keira shrugged and Daniel made a flourishing movement with his hand toward her.

‘Eden Cassidy, meet Aunt Aggie Rains.’

Eden raised his dark brows. ‘You write that column?’

Keira nodded.

‘Yet another of your many talents?’

‘Sure is,’ Daniel put in delightedly.

‘I use my aunt’s diaries and recipe books.’ Keira explained, just a little flushed with embarrassment. ‘She was very particular about recording everything.’

‘Keira doesn’t exactly fit the picture, does she?’ Daniel laughed again and continued as Keira’s colour deepened. ‘Blushing becomes you,’ he said with flamboyant aplomb.

‘Enough, Daniel,’ Eden warned.

‘Sorry, Keira,’ Daniel apologised. ‘Time for another subject change.’ He turned back to his uncle. ‘So, what’s this I hear about Megan being in New York?’

‘She left yesterday,’ Eden told him dispassionately, his eyes still moving over Keira’s face, and she shifted uneasily, hoping Daniel would be too involved in his own concerns to notice his uncle’s so obvious attention.

‘I expected Megan to be here with bells on,’ Daniel was probing. ‘What’s she doing in New York?’

‘She wanted to see a Broadway show,’ his uncle replied tartly.

‘Very droll, Eden. When’s she due back?’

‘Although I can’t understand your sudden interest in Megan, and apart from its not being any of your business, Daniel, she’ll be tied up for a few weeks.’

‘A few weeks,’ Daniel repeated in amazement as he raised his eyebrows at his uncle. ‘You mean we’re launching this magazine without Megan’s good right hand? Well, the indispensable becomes dispensable.’

‘Now there’s an idea,’ said Eden meaningfully. ‘It may not be such a good idea to put such interesting thoughts into my mind.’

Daniel raised his hands in mock horror. ‘Then by all means consider it not said. Think I’ll quit while I’m ahead. See you two later,’ he added as he left them.

Keira’s mouth went suddenly dry and she made herself move, lifted her wine glass to her lips, and then felt herself colour as she realised the glass was empty.

Eden reached out and took the glass from her nerveless fingers as a waiter materialised beside them. And Keira was too stunned to refuse the refill.

‘Denver tells me everything’s gone to plan with the magazine,’ he remarked casually and Keira nodded, feeling more than one pair of eyes watching them with interest.

‘Yes. There have been no real problems,’ she said uneasily, and then pulled herself together. ‘Well, I guess I should leave you to mingle,’ she added brightly and made to move away.

‘You didn’t come to the party I gave last week,’ he said conversationally and Keira stopped, her muscles tensing.

‘No. Thank you for asking me but I’d made other plans,’ she replied without intonation. She’d sent her inability to accept via Daniel, and this time Keira had refused to allow the young man to talk her into changing her mind and going.

‘So Daniel informed me.’ He paused. ‘He said you had a date.’

Keira met his narrowed gaze, remembering her excuse. She’d told Daniel she intended to curl up with a good book. Scarcely a date. And Daniel knew that. So what was Daniel playing at?

‘Who was he?’ The even timbre of Eden’s voice repudiated the stormy darkness of his eyes and Keira’s throat contracted.

For long moments she was unable to formulate a reply. ‘Daniel had no right to tell you anything.’ She drew a quick, steadying breath. ‘And apart from that I hardly think it’s any of your business how I spend my weekends.’

Eden Cassidy might be her boss but he didn’t own her free time. He’d issued invitations and she’d refused. If he couldn’t take no for an answer that was his problem. She had no intention of allowing him to intimidate her in any way. And telling herself that was fine, she acknowledged, but now she had to put her resolve into practice.

Eden’s eyes were impaling hers and she found she was powerless to break their hold over her.

‘He doesn’t seem to be dancing attendance tonight,’ he said at last, in that same portentous tone.

‘Who?’ Keira got out through tense lips.

‘Your date,’ he repeated laconically.

The temperature in the room had become stifling and Keira yearned to race for the doorway, draw some cooling air into her tortured lungs. She swallowed and took hold of what little of her composure remained intact.

‘Perhaps he isn’t insecure enough in himself to feel the need to bind me to his side,’ she said scathingly. And she had the exhilarating sensation of knowing her barb had found its target as he lifted his head, his strong jaw clenching.

‘Do I take that as a critique of my character? Or apparent lack of it,’ he added caustically, and Keira shrugged.

‘Take it any way you feel you need to take it,’ she expounded with a coolly insolent smile.

‘Oh, believe me, Keira, I wouldn’t need to bind you to my side,’ he said proprietorially. ‘You simply wouldn’t want to leave.’

‘What an illuminating statement,’ Keira threw back at him. ‘And even more so because I think you really believe that.’

He gave a quietly humourless laugh. ‘And you believe it too, Keira.’

His vibrant voice, soft as velvet now, made her body tingle right down to her toes, and she clutched at her anger to conceal the betrayal of her seditious senses.

‘I can’t believe your arrogance, your-’

‘We could put it to the test,’ he cut in. ‘Care to try to prove me wrong, Keira?’

‘No,’ she replied with as much dignity as she could muster. ‘Unfortunately, I can’t help your mistaken assumptions. And quite frankly, I don’t really care what you think. Now, I’ve been neglecting the other guests-’

‘And especially your escort.’

Keira raised her chin. ‘The other guests,’ she repeated composedly, her grey gaze boldly holding his.

‘Who is he?’ he reiterated with almost tangible constraint, and they stood facing each other like incited adversaries about to do battle.

‘Is the relationship serious?’ he asked at last, when Keira was sure the gathering tension between them was about to explode into a million pieces.

She opened her mouth to tell him it was, to provide herself with some cover to hide behind, to cloak her very real and frightening attraction to this man. But somehow the words wouldn’t come. And he read the truth in her eyes before she could disguise it.

He smiled then, a magnanimously satisfied expression of triumph, and Keira had to fight the urge to lash out physically at him.

‘You are the most egotistical, insufferable, objectionable man it has ever been my misfortune to meet,’ she got out through clenched teeth, and went to swing away from him.

But his strong hand reached out, fingers clasping her arm to stay her, and Keira raised her furious gaze to his.

‘Please don’t do that,’ she whispered tersely, barely controlling her temper, but also aware just how close she and Eden were to making a scene.

‘Do what?’

‘That,’ Keira repeated, and tried to ease her arm from his touch, but his fingers tightened. ‘You’re embarrassing me.’

‘By talking to you?’ he said infuriatingly. ‘Surely as your boss I’d be expected to have things to discuss with you.’

‘Talking to me? Your topics of conversation leave a lot to be desired. Now, I suggest you let me go.’ Her eyes went expressively to the place where his fingers held her arm. And she made herself ignore the fact that her so-reponsive nerve-endings where he touched her bare skin had set up a wild tattoo which was spreading like a fireball. ‘Let me go, Eden,’ she repeated. ‘Everyone will begin to wonder about-well…’ Keira paused, colour washing her face again.

‘Ah!’ he exclaimed, his tone infuriatingly placating. ‘Everyone will begin to wonder. And if someone sees me touching your arm they’ll expect me to give you a television station of your own.’

With prolonged deliberation he slowly released her, only to trail one strong finger down the length of her arm to her wrist, settling momentarily on the soft flesh where her pulse raced, before eventually breaking the contact. ‘Heaven only knows what might happen if that someone saw me put my arm around you,’ he added drily and Keira’s eyes flashed angrily.

‘Someone? Good grief! There are hundreds of people here and you can’t really imagine you aren’t the focus of most of their attention.’

‘If I went around thinking that I’d be accused of being an egomaniac.’

Keira raised her chin eloquently and he gave a softly sensual laugh. ‘Such flattery, my dear Keira. Must I add that to your list of my failings?’

‘Perhaps your biggest failing is that you’ve spent so much time in your ivory tower you’ve forgotten, if you ever knew, about the intrigues of the lower rank and file. You’re perfectly safe in your penthouse, Mr Cassidy, but I have to live and work down here.’

‘The casting couch again?’ he said with that same dangerous quietness, all humour washed from his expression.

Keira’s gaze met his in trepidation but she stood her ground. ‘You know exactly what I mean.’

‘I still think you’re over-reacting.’

‘And I’ve already had to defend myself once tonight. I don’t need any more drama to fuel the flame.’

His dark head rose as he frowned. ‘Be specific, Keira. Who and what?’

‘I don’t choose to tell you.’

‘If you’re talking about Denver Clarkson, then let me just say he has a very sick wife so I’m sure he’s got more to worry about than my sex-life. Or lack of it,’ he added incitingly, and Keira felt her mouth tighten in exasperation.

‘I think I can safely say this particular person was simply speaking for the majority and and leave it at that,’ Keira said bitterly, and he shoved his hands in his pockets.

‘Then perhaps I should make a public announcement and settle this once and for all. Keira Strong got this job because she was the best person to fill it. No sexual favours have been exchanged.’

Keira flushed and glanced quickly around to see if anyone had heard his outrageous words. ‘Do you have to be so offensive? We’re attracting more than enough attention as it is.’

His blue eyes glittered dangerously. ‘We could attract a hell of a lot more,’ he said and stepped closer, his eyes burning into hers, his suit-clad chest just millimetres from her suddenly taut and throbbing breasts.

‘Eden, please…’

‘Please?’ he repeated shortly. ‘Please.’ His deep tone fell intoxicatingly. ‘That’s what I’d like to do. Please you. And I promise you, I would.’

Keira’s heartbeats drummed at his sensual tone, his arousing words, and she shook her head desperately. ‘Eden, don’t. I can’t take this any more.’

‘You can’t take it? Don’t you know you’re driving me crazy? Come with me after the launch. We’ll have some supper.’

Her heartbeats caught painfully in her throat and she felt decidedly light-headed. ‘You know I can’t do that,’ she got out through her dry lips.

‘Do I? I don’t, you know. And neither do you. Forget everyone else. Think about yourself. Do it for yourself. You know you want to.’ His low, erotic intonation played over her and she felt her quivering, insidious senses clamour for her surrender. And she knew she was rapidly forgetting the reasons why she was denying herself the electrifying pleasure of submission. Why not let him take her anywhere he chose, satisfy the spreading fire within her?