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Authors: Sally Wentworth
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alone.
Lunch wasn't an easy meal, nor the tour after
it, but Patrick Bright had obviously realised his mistake and managed to keep
down his salesman's patter, while Simon-bearing in mind the temper that went
with her tawny hair and green eyes-had advised her to play it cool. `After all,
Patrick is my boss,' he reminded her. So somehow they got through the afternoon
with Cassie obediently inspecting every amenity including even the half-finished
sports complex and making suitable remarks whenever she could think of them.
Actually, if anything, she was rather
impressed with all the facilities available for the construction workers, and
to a lesser extent, for the small percentage of people who lived permanently in
Kinray. Permanently in most cases, of course, being for the two to three years
it would take to build the terminal. Then the number of workers would gradually
decrease until their places were taken by the maintenance and specialist people
who would man and operate the oil terminal and its jetties when these were
fully functional. Just a very small number in comparison to the thousands who
were here now. Yes, the facilities were ideal for men who had done a hard day's
physical work and just wanted to sit back and be amused, but there was nothing
here that could attract Cassie, nothing that wouldn't make each day spent here
a small, individual hell of boredom and frustration.
Dinner that night was easier, because three
other couples had been invited together with Patrick Bright's secretary to keep
the numbers even. They ate in a private room in the hotel, the food was good,
there was plenty of wine and the atmosphere soon became relaxed and congenial,
so that it was gone midnight before they went up to their room. Cassie flopped
down in an armchair and kicked off her shoes, more than a little inebriated.
Rifling through the box of chocolates, she found one with a nut centre and put
it in her mouth.
'Mm, I could get used to this kind of
treatment,' she told Simon mumblingly.
'Didn't your mother ever teach you not to
speak with your mouth full?' he demanded with a mock frown.
Cassie wrinkled her nose at him, but
swallowed the sweet. 'Do you stay at this hotel every time you come up here?'
`Yes, in this suite sometimes. Shall we open
the champagne?'
'We might as well. Another couple of drinks
aren't going to make any difference after what we've had already.' She waited
until Simon had opened the bottle, the cork flying off with a satisfying bang.
'It must seem rather a come-down to go home after this,' she remarked, not looking
at him.
Simon glanced at her sharply, then answered,
'The service here is certainly very good and the food is always excellent.' He
paused, and Cassie thought of all the meals she'd ruined or dished up out of
tins at the last minute. 'But,' Simon went on smoothly, 'I must say that the
chambermaid service one gets at home is much, much better.' And he came to put
a hand on each arm of her chair and lean over to kiss her.
Cassie laughed and put her arms round his
neck. 'Oh, the hotel doesn't provide everything, then?'
'Not as far as I'm concerned.' He
straightened up and gave her her glass of champagne.
She watched him as he took off his jacket and
tie, as always at this point beginning to be sexually aware, knowing every inch
of the powerful body concealed by his clothes. She sipped her champagne,
watching him, but then an intriguing thought occurred to her. 'Simon? You said
that Mullaine's doesn't provide everything as far as you're concerned. But does
it for everyone else? I mean-all those single men who work here? Is there a-you
know-a place for them to go to?'
Simon had his back to her and she didn't see
the flash of laughter that came into his eyes, but, schooling his features, he
turned a bland face towards her and was deliberately vague. 'A place?'
'Yes. You know=-a place where they can meet
girls.'
'Well, there's a dance every
Lunch wasn't an easy meal, nor the tour after
it, but Patrick Bright had obviously realised his mistake and managed to keep
down his salesman's patter, while Simon-bearing in mind the temper that went
with her tawny hair and green eyes-had advised her to play it cool. `After all,
Patrick is my boss,' he reminded her. So somehow they got through the afternoon
with Cassie obediently inspecting every amenity including even the half-finished
sports complex and making suitable remarks whenever she could think of them.
Actually, if anything, she was rather
impressed with all the facilities available for the construction workers, and
to a lesser extent, for the small percentage of people who lived permanently in
Kinray. Permanently in most cases, of course, being for the two to three years
it would take to build the terminal. Then the number of workers would gradually
decrease until their places were taken by the maintenance and specialist people
who would man and operate the oil terminal and its jetties when these were
fully functional. Just a very small number in comparison to the thousands who
were here now. Yes, the facilities were ideal for men who had done a hard day's
physical work and just wanted to sit back and be amused, but there was nothing
here that could attract Cassie, nothing that wouldn't make each day spent here
a small, individual hell of boredom and frustration.
Dinner that night was easier, because three
other couples had been invited together with Patrick Bright's secretary to keep
the numbers even. They ate in a private room in the hotel, the food was good,
there was plenty of wine and the atmosphere soon became relaxed and congenial,
so that it was gone midnight before they went up to their room. Cassie flopped
down in an armchair and kicked off her shoes, more than a little inebriated.
Rifling through the box of chocolates, she found one with a nut centre and put
it in her mouth.
'Mm, I could get used to this kind of
treatment,' she told Simon mumblingly.
'Didn't your mother ever teach you not to
speak with your mouth full?' he demanded with a mock frown.
Cassie wrinkled her nose at him, but
swallowed the sweet. 'Do you stay at this hotel every time you come up here?'
`Yes, in this suite sometimes. Shall we open
the champagne?'
'We might as well. Another couple of drinks
aren't going to make any difference after what we've had already.' She waited
until Simon had opened the bottle, the cork flying off with a satisfying bang.
'It must seem rather a come-down to go home after this,' she remarked, not looking
at him.
Simon glanced at her sharply, then answered,
'The service here is certainly very good and the food is always excellent.' He
paused, and Cassie thought of all the meals she'd ruined or dished up out of
tins at the last minute. 'But,' Simon went on smoothly, 'I must say that the
chambermaid service one gets at home is much, much better.' And he came to put
a hand on each arm of her chair and lean over to kiss her.
Cassie laughed and put her arms round his
neck. 'Oh, the hotel doesn't provide everything, then?'
'Not as far as I'm concerned.' He
straightened up and gave her her glass of champagne.
She watched him as he took off his jacket and
tie, as always at this point beginning to be sexually aware, knowing every inch
of the powerful body concealed by his clothes. She sipped her champagne,
watching him, but then an intriguing thought occurred to her. 'Simon? You said
that Mullaine's doesn't provide everything as far as you're concerned. But does
it for everyone else? I mean-all those single men who work here? Is there a-you
know-a place for them to go to?'
Simon had his back to her and she didn't see
the flash of laughter that came into his eyes, but, schooling his features, he
turned a bland face towards her and was deliberately vague. 'A place?'
'Yes. You know=-a place where they can meet
girls.'
'Well, there's a dance every
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