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where men like you are concerned,’ she snapped. ‘She’s had no experience.’
    ‘And you have?’ Mockery curved his lips, and she ought to have read the warning signals in his eyes.
    But she was so incensed she carried on heedlessly, ‘At least I know more about men than she does. If you want my opinion you should choose someone nearer your own age. Liz is a baby—she ’
    ‘Like you, perhaps?’ He was taunting her now and enjoying it, and Debra was becoming more irate by the second. Precisely when he began to advance she had no idea, and she was alarmed when she felt his hands behind her back, pulling her determinedly towards him.
    ‘What are you doing?’ she demanded angrily, pounding her fists ineffectively on his chest. He was all muscle, hard and sinewy, and filled with a magnetism that she had not suspected.
    ‘Trying to prove, my little spitfire, that it’s not only Liz I’m interested in.’
    She opened her mouth to protest, only to find it possessed by a pair of cool demanding lips that quite clearly were not going to take no for an answer.
    There was only one way to deal with a man like this, she decided, closing her eyes and quite deliberately remaining cool and aloof.
    Vane was unfortunately a physically exciting man whom she found hard to resist, and it was impossible to check the sudden quickening of her pulses. She did her best to ignore their rapid beating, however, and stood quite rigid, assuring him that his attentions meant nothing.
    It took a few minutes for him to realise that he was not getting anywhere, and then he held her from him, looking crossly into her eyes.
    Before he could speak she said stiffly, ‘Mr Oliver, you more or less forced me to come to Hong Kong, you installed me in your villa against my will, but I’m certainly not going to let you make love to me against my wishes!’
    His silver eyes gleamed. ‘Make love to you? Aren’t you rather jumping to conclusions?’
    She felt swift humiliation, but defiantly tilted her chin. ‘I know what type of man you are, and I shall do everything in my power to stop Liz falling in love with you!’
    His sigh was deep and impatient. ‘So we’re back to that again. Somehow I don’t think your friend will thank you for interfering.’
    Debra shrugged. ‘I’ve no doubt she’ll tell me to mind my own business.’
    ‘Then why the hell don’t you?’ His voice was harsh and aggressive, and Debra felt a quiver of something approaching fear.
    ‘Because I’m worried about her—I feel responsible.’
    His laugh was unexpected. ‘What a fierce little protector you are! But I fear you’re wasting your energy. Liz is quite safe, you have no need for anxiety.’
    He took her hand and led her towards the house. Debra saw the blind move, and wondered uncomfortably whether her friend had seen Vane kissing her. Was she really upset because she had walked out on them, or had Vane been making that up?
    Feeling that perhaps now was not the best time to tackle Liz about her deepening friendship with Vane, Debra went to bed, but as she lay there she could not help wondering why Vane had made a pass.
    Was it automatic with him? Did he attempt to kiss any girl in whose presence he found himself? Or did he really think she was jealous of Liz and had not wanted her to feel left out?
    It was the obvious solution, yet not one to which she took kindly. It was not flattering to think that a man had kissed her from a sense of sympathy rather than because he found her attractive.
    Not that she had wanted his kisses, she assured herself, but no girl likes to think she is an object of pity. It did nothing at all for her morale.
    When Debra went down to breakfast the next morning Vane had already eaten, although he still sat on at the table. Of Liz there was no sign.
    ‘Good morning, Debra,’ he said. ‘I trust you slept well?’ and there was an odd gleam in his eyes that suggested he knew otherwise. Perhaps he thought his kiss had bothered