things to me,” she said with a sigh that had them both erupting into giggles.
They had reached the others, and on seeing her James pulled her aside and spoke into her ear. “Sarah, thanks for breaking away from the jealous bastard for a moment.”
“James, he is just angry on my behalf.”
“Well, I want to apologise for my behaviour at Max’s party. I can only say that I did think that you knew it was me. I’d had too much to drink, I know that’s no excuse, but I would have checked that you understood who was in the bathroom with you if I had been sober. It’s not my usual style to go about massaging unsuspecting women,” he said with a self-conscious laugh.
“Well, now you know me a little more intimately than you did before,” she replied lightly and was rewarded when he had the decency to look embarrassed. “Life is too short to hold grudges so your apology is accepted.”
He let out a loud sigh. “Thank you, Sarah. It’s more than I deserve. Did you get my flowers?”
“Yes, they were lovely. Thank you.”
He moved closer to her, the movement so subtle that she didn’t realise at first that he had done it. His body was now pressed quite closely to hers, his lips at her ear. “Do you really like him?” he asked. “If not I’ll get rid of him for you.”
He pressed his palm to the small of her back, pulling her closer against him. Sarah brought both her hands up and pushed against his chest. “Yes, I do like him, but that’s really none of your business.”
James ignored her obvious discomfort and kept his tight hold on her. She wondered briefly if he had a death wish but before she could do or say anything further she was yanked roughly backwards, the unexpected move obviously taking James by surprise, making him loosen his hold on her.
Maxwell thrust her behind him and was now standing between them glowering at James. “You obviously have a hard time keeping your hands to yourself, arsehole,” he said, his voice dangerously low. “Unlike last time I don’t have any qualms about hitting you right now.”
“Maxwell, don’t, it’s not worth it.” Sarah grabbed his arm but he only shook her off.
“Go ahead, McIver. Is Sarah your property now? Typical bloody tycoon behaviour—anything you want, you get, is that right?”
Adam and Roxy, noticing the altercation, rushed over and Adam tried unsuccessfully to get between the two men.
Maxwell loomed over James, his jaw clenched tight with barely restrained anger. “You obviously don’t think very highly of Sarah, if you think she would allow herself to be categorised as someone’s property. She makes up her own mind as to who she wants to see and it’s not you.” Maxwell was pressed against James’ chest, his eyes blazing with fury. “I’m not going to tell you again—keep your hands off her.” Sarah didn’t appreciate being referred to in such a manner but she thought it wiser to stay quiet.
Max turned from James and was reaching for her hand when James spoke again, his voice loud and reverberating. “Where the hell do you get off telling me what to do, McIver?”
Suddenly the air whooshed out of Max as James’ body hit him hard from behind. He staggered forward a few steps before he recovered and quickly turned around to face his antagonist. Sarah felt Maxwell tense, then his hand formed a fist and he swung just as James propelled himself forward. Max’s fist landed hard on James’ jaw. The resulting impact snapped his head back and he staggered backwards, working hard to stay on his feet.
“You deserved that,” Max growled at him. “If I so much as see you look in Sarah’s direction, I’m going to take you apart.”
A small crowd had gathered and Max had to force his way through the crush of bodies to reach Sarah. “I’m sorry about that,” he said to her. “That prick just doesn’t know when to quit.”
Roxy appeared in front of them and quickly pulled Sarah to one side. “I’m sorry about James,
They had reached the others, and on seeing her James pulled her aside and spoke into her ear. “Sarah, thanks for breaking away from the jealous bastard for a moment.”
“James, he is just angry on my behalf.”
“Well, I want to apologise for my behaviour at Max’s party. I can only say that I did think that you knew it was me. I’d had too much to drink, I know that’s no excuse, but I would have checked that you understood who was in the bathroom with you if I had been sober. It’s not my usual style to go about massaging unsuspecting women,” he said with a self-conscious laugh.
“Well, now you know me a little more intimately than you did before,” she replied lightly and was rewarded when he had the decency to look embarrassed. “Life is too short to hold grudges so your apology is accepted.”
He let out a loud sigh. “Thank you, Sarah. It’s more than I deserve. Did you get my flowers?”
“Yes, they were lovely. Thank you.”
He moved closer to her, the movement so subtle that she didn’t realise at first that he had done it. His body was now pressed quite closely to hers, his lips at her ear. “Do you really like him?” he asked. “If not I’ll get rid of him for you.”
He pressed his palm to the small of her back, pulling her closer against him. Sarah brought both her hands up and pushed against his chest. “Yes, I do like him, but that’s really none of your business.”
James ignored her obvious discomfort and kept his tight hold on her. She wondered briefly if he had a death wish but before she could do or say anything further she was yanked roughly backwards, the unexpected move obviously taking James by surprise, making him loosen his hold on her.
Maxwell thrust her behind him and was now standing between them glowering at James. “You obviously have a hard time keeping your hands to yourself, arsehole,” he said, his voice dangerously low. “Unlike last time I don’t have any qualms about hitting you right now.”
“Maxwell, don’t, it’s not worth it.” Sarah grabbed his arm but he only shook her off.
“Go ahead, McIver. Is Sarah your property now? Typical bloody tycoon behaviour—anything you want, you get, is that right?”
Adam and Roxy, noticing the altercation, rushed over and Adam tried unsuccessfully to get between the two men.
Maxwell loomed over James, his jaw clenched tight with barely restrained anger. “You obviously don’t think very highly of Sarah, if you think she would allow herself to be categorised as someone’s property. She makes up her own mind as to who she wants to see and it’s not you.” Maxwell was pressed against James’ chest, his eyes blazing with fury. “I’m not going to tell you again—keep your hands off her.” Sarah didn’t appreciate being referred to in such a manner but she thought it wiser to stay quiet.
Max turned from James and was reaching for her hand when James spoke again, his voice loud and reverberating. “Where the hell do you get off telling me what to do, McIver?”
Suddenly the air whooshed out of Max as James’ body hit him hard from behind. He staggered forward a few steps before he recovered and quickly turned around to face his antagonist. Sarah felt Maxwell tense, then his hand formed a fist and he swung just as James propelled himself forward. Max’s fist landed hard on James’ jaw. The resulting impact snapped his head back and he staggered backwards, working hard to stay on his feet.
“You deserved that,” Max growled at him. “If I so much as see you look in Sarah’s direction, I’m going to take you apart.”
A small crowd had gathered and Max had to force his way through the crush of bodies to reach Sarah. “I’m sorry about that,” he said to her. “That prick just doesn’t know when to quit.”
Roxy appeared in front of them and quickly pulled Sarah to one side. “I’m sorry about James,
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