Page 20 of His Last Gamble

A knock at the door made her shoot off the chair. Warily Jo-Jo poked his head inside. ‘You decent?’ he asked, one hand covering his eyes.

Charmaine laughed dryly. ‘Hardly. Or did you miss the performance?’ she said, not quite managing to cover the real shame in her voice with a flippant tone.

Jo-Jo came further inside, letting the door close behind him. The door, made of heavy oak, didn’t quite catch, and creaked open an inch or so. Outside, in the deserted corridor, Payne had just managed to catch her words, and the reprimand which was hovering on his tongue died a thousand deaths.

She sounded so forlorn.

‘Oh I could hardly miss it,’ Jo-Jo said brightly. ‘You were superb. Phil was delighted.’

Charmaine, slumping back down into her chair, looked at her friend and partner helplessly. ‘Don’t try and make things better,’ she admonished. ‘I was awful.’

‘No, you weren’t awful,’ Jo-Jo said staunchly. ‘Phil wanted you to be really sexy and you were. It wasn’t awful at all, but very, very professional.’ Then he shrugged. ‘But it was so totally unlike you,’ he was forced to add honestly. ‘Where has my shy and retiring designer gone? And speaking of transformations, what’s with you and Payne Lacey?’

Charmaine’s head lifted sharply and outside the man himself moved closer.

Yes, what was it, Payne wondered. He would dearly love to know himself.

‘What do you mean?’ Charmaine said warily, trying to meet Jo-Jo’s eyes with a look of innocence. And knowing that she failed.

‘Oh come on, love, never kid a kidder,’ Jo-Jo said cosily, leaning against the desk the girls were using as a dressing table and looking at his friend closely. ‘I’ve never seen you so aggressive with a man before. You’re even giving Jinx a run for her money.’

Charmaine paled. She wasn’t being as obvious as all that, surely?

Noting her stricken look, Jo-Jo backed down. ‘OK, perhaps you’re not coming on that strong,’ he amended hastily. ‘But for you, it’s unheard of. Where’s the girl who won’t even use her family’s famous name to get along? The girl who never dates, but vegetates away in the country like an amateur nun?’

‘I don’t!’ Charmaine said hotly. Then, as Jo-Jo cocked his head to one side, an over-the-top look of scepticism on his face, she felt herself smile.

‘Well, I don’t vegetate,’ she said defensively. ‘I create. And I like living in the country.’

‘With only a cat for company,’ Jo-Jo added.

‘Well, Wordsworth’s all male,’ Charmaine grinned and Jo-Jo rolled his eyes.

‘Look, don’t get me wrong, love,’ he said conspiratorially. ‘If you’ve decided to throw off the shackles of celibacy and go all out for the gorgeous Mr Lacey, I’m all for it. But it’s just so . . . sudden. And so unexpected.’ His voice became worried. ‘Are you sure you know what you’re doing?’

And although he didn’t say so aloud, he wished she’d chosen someone far less potent than the casino owner on which to test her new-found sexual freedom!

Charmaine couldn’t help but laugh. Did she know what she was doing? Not if the past few days were any indication!

‘And why were you so determined we shoot here?’ Jo-Jo asked, finally voicing the one question which she’d been dreading.

‘What? Don’t you think it’s a fabulous idea?’ she asked quickly, trying to distract him. ‘Not only have we got the beach and the lush tropics on our doorstep, we’ve got the Palace as well. I thought you’d be pleased we came.’

‘Oh I am,’ Jo-Jo said. ‘Don’t get me wrong. But you’ve never before dictated the location of a shoot. Usually I have to all but browbeat you into asserting your rights as half-owner of Jonniee. Now, all of a sudden, you’re like a dynamo.’

‘Oh, don’t exaggerate,’ Charmaine laughed uneasily. ‘I just felt like a change, that’s all.’

Outside Payne Lacey, eavesdropping without shame, frowned.

Charmaine Reece was a half-owner of the fashion house? And, by the sound of it, its main designer to boot? It made no sense. And exactly what famous family did she belong to? The more he learned about this dangerous, wonderfully alluring woman, the less he seemed to know her.

‘I’m not exaggerating, sweetheart. The changes in you are there for anyone to see. Just a few months ago, you were the epitome of the country mouse, solitary and wary. Now, all of a sudden, you’re like a tiger. Even Jinx is beginning to get nervous. For the first time, she’s got serious competition. She was certainly spitting fire after that little kiss you and our gorgeous casino owner exchanged at the roulette table last night.’

Charmaine flushed. So everyone had noticed.

‘Come on, Jo-Jo. Nobody competes with Jinx,’ she said awkwardly. ‘She rules!’

Jo-Jo snorted inelegantly and rolled his eyes theatrically. ‘Not over Payne Lacey she doesn’t. And she knows it. Oh, he tolerates her, and plays up to her. But everyone knows it’s you he wants.’

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