Jon's eyes sparked wickedly .sx " How kind of you to say so , Delaney .sx I didn't know you'd noticed .sx " .sx " I haven't , " she snapped , flinging her hand up in a gesture of frustration , and catching it in her amethyst necklace .sx Immediately the clasp loosened , and she watched in horror as the purple beads slid down the cleavage of her dress and disappeared between her small , neat breasts .sx " Can I help ?sx " asked Jon blandly , as she grovelled helplessly with one hand , and tried frantically to prevent the necklace's further descent .sx " Privilege of the betrothed and all that .sx " .sx " No !sx " yelped Jessica , back away from him with her arms wrapped around her chest , as her eyes searched anxiously for the exit .sx " No , you certainly can not .sx " .sx She found the door into the hallway , and disappeared , unhappily aware that he was enjoying her discomfiture .sx If she hadn't known him better she would have sworn that as she left she heard him whisper softly " What a pity .sx " .sx Once in the blue and gold bathroom with pink geese all over the wall , she rescued the necklace , shoved it into her bag , and took a long and very deep breath .sx This brainwave of hers about enlisting Jon's help had not been one of her brighter ones .sx His behaviour had been impeccable , he had done exactly what she asked him to do , and yet - and yet his presence was proving quite devastatingly distracting .sx She returned to the party , found Jon holding court again , and as soon as it was decently possible suggested that they ought to leave .sx Pleading exhaustion , which occasioned knowing smiles all round , they thanked their host and hostess for a delightful evening , and beat a relieved retreat to Jon's car .sx " Satisfied ?sx " he asked as they sped down the darkened highway .sx " What do you mean ?sx " .sx " Was my performance up to standard ?sx And , by the way , just in case you have any illusions , I have no intention of playing this role again .sx Under no circumstances will there be an encore .sx " .sx " No , of course not .sx I wouldn't think of asking you to do it again .sx " .sx When she saw that he had turned his head towards her , and was regarding her with a look of blatant scepticism - which made her want to kick him instead of thanking him - she repeated sharply , " I really wouldn't .sx And yes .sx Thank you .sx Your performance was masterly .sx Much better than mine was .sx " She had to admit it .sx " You carried it off beautifully .sx " .sx Jon , as if he recognised how reluctantly the admission was made , bowed his head in mocking acceptance of her praise , and Jessica said with a mixture of irritation and contrition , " It wasn't really so very awful , was it ?sx " .sx " I suppose not , if you consider being propositioned by two cocktail hostesses and a waitress with a dirty neck amusing .sx " .sx " Were you really ?sx " Jessica giggled .sx " Funny , I've never thought of you as the Casanova type before .sx " .sx " So I've observed , " he replied enigmatically .sx A few minutes later they had pulled up outside the house near Centennial Park , and Jon was helping her out of his car .sx They had just stepped into the front hall , shutting the door behind them , when the phone rang , and Nick ambled past saying he'd get it .sx " Did you go to that party after all ?sx " he asked over his shoulder as he groped for the receiver .sx " We did , " said Jon heavily , " and I'm beginning to think that getting engaged to your sister was not the most intelligent move I ever made .sx " .sx Nick's eyes widened .sx " Getting engaged to - Oh , hello , Mom .sx Where are you calling from ?sx " .sx It's Mother , " said Jessica unnecessarily .sx " I think they're in Salzburg today .sx " .sx Her voice trailed off as she heard Nick continue , " Did you say whose engagement ?sx Oh , Jessica's , I guess .sx She just came home with Jon Stuart .sx .. " .sx A sound that was a cross between a whoop and a sob squealed over the wires so that , as Nick held the phone away from his ear , Mrs Delaney's gurgling voice was audible across the hall .sx " Hey !sx " cried Jessica , rushing towards her brother , and trying to grab the receiver .sx " Let me have that .sx " .sx But , the moment he obligingly released it , the line went dead .sx CHAPTER TREE .sx " NICK !sx " wailed Jessica .sx " What did you tell Mom that for ?sx And why has she hung up ?sx " .sx " She was in a phone booth , " he replied casually .sx " Said someone was waiting to use it , and she'll be calling back tomorrow after she's told Dad the news .sx " When he saw Jessica's stricken face , and her indigo eyes dark with horror , he added doubtfully , " Why ?sx Is something wrong ?sx Arent't you engaged to Jon , then ?sx " .sx " Of course I'm not .sx I told you .sx .. " She hesitated .sx " She told you she couldn't think of anyone she would less like to marry than me , " said Jon impassively .sx " I believe there was also some mention of smug , patronising old bores .sx " .sx " Oh , Jon , you know I didn't mean .sx .. " Then , as the full enormity of what had happened overwhelmed her , she stopped worrying about Jon's sensibilities .sx She didn't think he had many , anyway .sx The real problem was that by some ghastly misunderstanding her mother was now firmly convinced that Jessica was engaged to Jon - and , judging from the noises she had heard trilling over the wires , Mrs Delaney was more than pleased - she was ecstatic .sx Which would make the disappointment all the more shattering when Jessica explained the mistake .sx She had always been vaguely aware that her mother harboured fond notions of a union between the Stuart family and the Delaneys .sx .. Oh hell , what a horrible muddle .sx " Nick , how could you ?sx " she groaned .sx " It's not my fault , " he protested , aggrieved .sx " He said getting engaged to you wasn't one of the more intelligent things he'd done .sx " .sx " But you knew it was only for this evening , " she accused him .sx " I forgot , " said Nick , giving the age-old teenage excuse .sx And in a sense Jessica knew it was true .sx Nick hadn't actually forgotten , but his mind was so absorbed by the Orange Peril parked in the driveway that nothing else held much meaning for him .sx She groaned again .sx " I'm sorry , " said Jon stiffly .sx " My rather poor joke seems to have backfired .sx But you did bring it on yourself , Delaney .sx You always do .sx " .sx Jessica's emotions , never far from the surface , erupted in a way that took both of them by surprise .sx " You are a superior devil , aren't you ?sx " she gibed , as the strain of her job interview , the party and now this latest calamity with her mother overcame her and exploded in a rush of indignant resentment at the only target she could find to her distress .sx " I was right the first time .sx You're a smug , self-satisfied jerk .sx If you hadn't told Nick we were engaged , Mother wouldn't be over there in Europe celebrating the news .sx And now you're trying to tell me it's all my fault .sx " .sx Something white and hot seemed to flicker in front of Jessica's eyes then , and she raised both fists to thump them down , hard , on his chest .sx For a moment he just stood there , solid as a rock and unflinching , staring down at her hands which now lay still against the soft white cotton of his sweatshirt .sx Then his jaw tightened , and he caught her wrists swiftly in a firm grip .sx Jessica stared up at him , suddenly unable to move .sx His eyes were stony , the line of his mouth forbidding .sx And he was very definitely not amused .sx " Delaney !sx " His voice clipped her like a blow in the face .sx " That's enough .sx Now simmer down and start to behave like an adult instead of like a spoilt little girl .sx Because I've had about all I'm going to take from you for one evening .sx " .sx Behind her , Jessica heard Nick mutter approval under his breath , and a moment later the door slammed and she and Jon were alone in the dimly lit hallway .sx Jessica's body sagged a little as she looked into Jon's set face , but when she studied it more closely she saw that behind the authoritarian words there was still a stern but unmistakable affection .sx She also saw that the scarring across his forehead had gone quite white , and when his hands moved from her wrists to her upper arms she shivered .sx Suddenly all the unreasoning indignation drained out of her .sx " Cold ?sx " asked Jon softly , his voice no longer harsh and domineering , but filled with the quiet solicitude she had come to expect .sx She shook her head .sx " No .sx No , I'm not cold .sx You - believe it or not - you scared me for a minute , that's all .sx " .sx " Good , " he replied unrepentantly .sx " A good scare won't do you any harm .sx How do you think I felt when you started to attack me like an ungrateful little wildcat ?sx " .sx " Not scared , " said Jessica with conviction .sx " No .sx You're right .sx I felt bloody angry .sx " .sx " I know .sx You wanted to hit me back .sx " .sx " Damn right I did !sx So don't try it again , Delaney .sx " .sx " I wasn't planning on it , " Jessica assured him .sx " I'm sorry , Jon .sx That was a childish exhibition , and I honestly don't know what came over me .sx Especially when you've just done me such a good turn - with Mr and Mrs Sanegra , I mean .sx " .sx " Don't worry about it .sx You over-reacted at the end of a bad day , nothing more .sx " He smiled .sx " Like I said , just don't do it again .sx " Softly his big hands moved and began to knead her shoulders .sx " Relax , Delaney .sx I'm sorry too- that my thoughtless joke has given your mother the wrong impression .sx " .sx Jessica sighed as she let the warmth of his caressing hands seep into her nerve-ends , and she found herself drifting closer to the greater heat emanating from his body .sx There was something almost magnetic about his eyes now .sx They had her locked in an impossibly powerful grip .sx " It's not your fault , " she whispered unsteadily .sx " No .sx " .sx Was he drawing her purposely towards him ?sx She wasn't sure .sx Slowly one big hand slipped beneath her long curls , cradling the back of her neck , and a remembered excitement snaked at the pit of her stomach .sx Remembered , and yet - different .sx This man wasn't Richard , this was Jon , who had never in his life looked at her the way he was looking at her now .sx .. except , perhaps , that once .sx .. When her breasts touched the soft whiteness of his sweatshirt he drew in his breath , stared at her for a long , timeless moment , then muttered something which sounded like a curse - and let her go .sx Startled and , in an obscure way , disappointed , Jessica staggered back .sx Automatically he reached out a hand to steady her , and then withdrew it abruptly .sx " Party's over , isn't it , Delaney ?sx " he said cryptically .sx " Good luck with your mother tomorrow .sx And with your new job .sx Be good .sx " .sx He touched her finger briefly to her cheek , and before she could collect her wits to ask him if he wanted coffee he had closed the door none too quietly behind him .sx Then she heard his car start up , and he was gone .sx Unwillingly Jessica opened her eyes .sx The sun was flickering through a chink in the pink curtains , and it was Saturday morning .sx She blinked .sx Strange , she had been sure it would take her hours to fall asleep , but she must have been out like a light the moment her head hit the pillow .sx She stared across the room at the curtains fluttering in the hot air from the furnace which they had been forced to turn on again last week .sx In spite of it there was an autumnal chill in the airy bedroom , and she pulled the blankets up around her chin .sx What on earth had happened to her last night ?sx - apart from the fiasco with her mother .sx Jon had been kind in his own way , and she had repaid him by attacking him like a - a wildcat , he had called her .sx She smiled guiltily , remembering the feel of his chest beneath her fists and the quick sizzle of excitement she had felt when he touched her .sx An excitement she had never known with Richard .sx Or had she just forgotten ?sx Perhaps she was only starved for male company .sx