Cassie jerked back to the present, a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. She wrenched her eyes away from his and jumped up, clumsy in her haste, but intent only on one purpose. To flee.
CHAPTER TWO
Dan caught her on the veranda.
'Cassie?' His hand closed over a wrist, spinning her to a halt.
Terrified eyes lifted to him.
'You're not leaving, are you?' He peered down at her with that inscrutable black gaze of his.
Cassie tried desperately to pull herself together. You are twenty-nine years old, she reassured herself. You are a competent veterinary surgeon. You are an independent, clear-thinking woman. You are not a vulnerable, naive girl barely out of her teens.
She dragged in a steadying breath and schooled her face into a bland smile. 'Hello, Dan,' she said. 'I thought it was you in there. It's been a long time. You're looking well. Sorry, but I can't stay and chat. I'm running late.'
His hand remained closed around her wrist, effectively staying her. 'Then you didn't leave the auction because of me?' His eyes were searching hers, trying no doubt to gauge her reaction to him.
The intensity of his expression unnerved and annoyed Cassie. Who did he think he was, giving her the third degree after running into her out of sheer coincidence? He couldn't possibly have known that she would attend this auction.
Her laugh carried the right amount of dry disdain. 'Good heavens, no. Why should I do that?'
He frowned. Clearly her attitude puzzled him. The reason why eluded Cassie. "Then could you spare me a few minutes?' he asked, still frowning. 'I won't keep you long.'
She glanced at her watch, then up. 'Perhaps a minute, then.' Her voice held an impatient note.
'So kind,' he muttered, and dropped her wrist.
Cassie tried not to let her relief show. It was unbearable having him touch her. Unbearable!
'You'll have to make it snappy, Dan. I really must be going.'
His head tilted slightly to one side, eyes narrowing. His gaze flicked down over her body, clad casually in faded blue jeans and a pink cotton shirt. When he looked back up at her face, his expression thoughtful, Cassie found herself wishing she'd had time to change before coming to the auction. But she'd been running late after an emergency at the surgery, and had had only a minute to dash on some pink lipstick and flick a quick brush through her fine blonde hair.
At that moment she wanted more than anything to be able to present an image as cool and sophisticated as Dan's. The feeling that she was at a physical disadvantage was as annoying as his close scrutiny.
'You know, you've hardly changed,' he said slowly. 'You're still incredibly beautiful...still without artifice.'
Her cheeks burnt with hot resentment. Her jaw clenched in anger. Trust him to resort to flattery. What a hide he had! And what a fool she was to let him still affect her, even if it was just irritation now. But two could play that game.
'You're hardly the worse for wear, either,' she countered in an offhand tone.
His mouth lifted in a dry smile. 'You flatter me. I'll be forty next year, and I feel every day of it.'
Cassie was taken aback. She hadn't realised he was that old. Nine years ago he had looked as if he were in his middle twenties, no more. But it didn't change anything. In fact, it made his guilt even worse. He should have known better than to toy with a young girl's life.
She waited for him to say something further, but he didn't. He had always been a man of few words.
'What is it you want, then?' she snapped irritably.
He drew back a step and flourished his hand in the direction of the front doors. 'If you will accompany me inside, I'll show you.'
'What do you mean...inside? I'm not going back into the auction. I told you. I have to go.'
'I know what you told me...' His determined glance indicated that he'd totally ignored all she had said. 'We'll go into the library. It's the first door on the right.'
'We can't do that!'
'Why not?'
'The owner might not like it.'
'He won't mind.'
Her eyes grew wary. 'How do you know that? Do you know him?'
'Very well.'
Cassie tried to control her growing alarm. She'd heard that the new owner of Strath-haven was a wealthy businessman from Sydney, intent on using the island as a rural retreat, in much the same way as the van Aarks had done. If Dan was a friend of his, as he had been of the van Aarks, perhaps he would be staying here as a guest sometimes. Oh, God...
'Stop frowning, Cassie,' he advised. 'It spoils your lovely forehead.'
She threw him a scornful look. 'I'll come inside, but please...stop the flattery. Keep that for your current victims. It won't work on me any more.'
He stiffened at her barb, but she gained no satisfaction from it. Strange, she puzzled, that she didn't enjoy hurting him. Surely he deserved it? Surely he deserved anything she could dish out?
'Come along,' he ground out, taking her elbow in a firm grip.