Lynsey Stevens by But Never Love

Author:But Never Love [HR-2988, MB-2973] (v0.9) (epub)
Language: eng
Format: epub

CHAPTER SEVEN

For some moments Rebecca sat there stunned. How dared Kym even suggest such a thing? He was what? Seventeen? And he could sit there, barefaced and Words failed her.

‘I don’t mind, honestly,’ he repeated, misconstruing Rebecca’s silence.

‘Well, I do mind,’ she bit out angrily. ‘And any swapping of rooms won’t be necessary, thank you very much. Your brother is my employer—no more, no less. And I don’t intend that you or anyone else should imply that our relationship is anything else, so you can stop all this understanding man-of-the-world dramatics as of right now.’

She paused for breath, and Kym held up his hands in a gesture of capitulation.

‘OK. OK. You don’t have to get uptight about it. I was only trying not to stand on any toes.’ He shrugged. ‘I just got the impression that you were Byron’s woman— and ’

‘I’m not Byron’s woman,’ Rebecca cut across him, speaking through clenched teeth. ‘That’s the most degrading, patronising expression you can use. Byron’s woman. Good grief! That went out with the rest of the subjugative terms. Women do have a tentative hold on equal status these days, you know, if only on paper.’ She looked him levelly in the eye. ‘I’d advise you to take an honest look at yourself, Kym Willoughby, and decide whether you’re going to remain a self-centred, condescending, egotistical little pain in the derriere, or whether you’re going to grow up and become part of the human race, because I can’t say much for your manners or upbringing on current form.’

‘Hey, come on. If I got things screwed up, I’m sorry.’ He looked sulkily put out. ‘But you can hardly blame me. I mean, I couldn’t see Byron not making a pass at you at least. He’d have to be daft and blind.’

Rebecca bristled with anger, only spurred on by the fact that she knew she was blushing once more, and Kym held up his hands again.

‘OK, I was wrong,’ he said quickly. ‘No need to fly off the handle. So I made a mistake. Let’s just forget I ever mentioned it.’

Any retort Rebecca would have made was stifled as Laurel and Byron rejoined them. Although they both glanced sharply from Rebecca’s set face to Kym’s put-out frown, they made no comment, and Laurel silently passed them their drinks.

Rebecca drank her coffee quickly, intending to plead tiredness and escape to her room, but as she set down her empty cup Byron stood up.

‘You haven’t seen the view from the side patio,’ he remarked easily, his gaze holding hers.

‘I was going to slip up to bed,’ she began.

‘It will only take a minute.’ He took her arm. ‘Come on. It’s especially lovely at night. Excuse us for a moment.’

Rebecca had no time to note anyone else’s reaction to Byron’s suggestion before he moved them down the path and around the corner of the house. What did he have in mind? Her senses clamoured again.

‘Watch the step.’

They were on the raised patio now, standing side by side, and the township stretched below them, a myriad of lights in the darkness.

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