'Dance with me, then', Bryan suggested to Sharon smoothly.
With Brenda looking on, obviously unaware of the tension between them, there was nothing she could do.
In furious silence, she allowed him to lead her to the dance floor, where as if by order, the fates the fates working against her, the music changed to a slow lilting waltz. She went into his arms stiffly, her heart pounding as he held her.
'Did you arrange this?' she demanded under her breath, taking her anger with herself out on him.
He laughed. 'What do you think?'
'It wouldn't surprise me one little bit', A tremor ran through her as his hands brushed the bare skin of her back. His fingers were long, tanned, very strong and their gentle touch brought the memories flooding back again.
She allowed her own hand to move slightly to his shoulder, surprised to feel the tensing of his muscles beneath the expensively cut cloth of his jacket.
Looking up into his eyes,their eyes met, holding. His were narrowed, coolly mocking, giving nothing away.
'You dance very well', she said because she had to break the silent tension that was building up between them.
Bryan smiled, 'So do you'.
Sharon found herself blushing at something in his voice. Their bodies fitted together perfectly. She knew that and she knew that he was thinking that same thing. It had always been so. They moved together as one hardly aware of the music that guarded them and there was something possessive about Bryan's arms on her waist, at her spine. For the first time in three long lonely years, she felt herself falling under his spell again.
His closeness made her feel weak. She felt his strength, his potent male sexuality and despite all her will power, she felt herself responding.
'Relax', Bryan murmured and she realised that she had been holding herself tightly, her body rigid with concentration.
'I am relaxed', she said, keeping her eyes lowered. 'You are holding me too tightly, that's why. Please let me go'.
In answer, Bryan's grip tightened in silence, his eyes suddenly as hard as ice. Forced against the hard disturbing length of his body, she felt herself trembling violently. The heavy muscle of his arm were like bands of steel and although he was not hurting her, she was left in no doubt of his immense strength, his dominance.
Bryan felt the tremors shaking her body and his fingers gently brushed the bare skin of her spine. Her skin was like warm silk, smooth and yielding. He felt the muscle tautening in his stomach.
He wanted her, God, how he wanted her. Nothing had changed. He was still in his blood, despite all that had happened, despite all the bitterness and the years that had separated them.
'I can't let you go', he said harshly. 'You are wasting your breath asking me to because I won't'.
'We had an agreement ', she said her voice thin and shaky. 'For David's and Brenda's benefit, remember?'
She could feel the coolness of his breath on her hair, the clean male scent of his skin and a deep craving was running like fire through her vein.
She wanted the touch of his mouth on hers again. She wanted his hunger, his possession. Nobody else had touched her and she finally admitted that she wanted him. She wanted him with a dizzying aching urgency that made her heart ache.
'Sure, I remember'. His eyes were dark as he stared down into her face. Defeated by the familiar mockery she heard in his voice, Sharon bent her head to the width of his shoulder.
I love him, she acknowledged painfully. Lord, I still love him. Nothing has changed. I have been fooling nobody but myself. I have always loved him despite his arrogance, in spite if his mockery of me and even his unfaithfulness, in spite of everything. She couldn't deny this fever inside her. It was love. Pure, simple love. And perhaps that was why she had been so desperate to keep him at a distance. Perhaps she had always known that if she came too close, she wouldn't be able to pretend any more.
She still hated him for what he had done but she still loved him too. Maybe it was true that the line between love and hate was very very thin.
Against the cloth of his jacket, she asked quietly, 'Why did you send me flowers?'
She felt him smile. 'Why not? Didn't you like them?' His voice was still edged with mockery and it hurt her. Be eath her cheek, she could hear the steady rhythm of his heart, the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Her defeat seemed too much to bear.
'They're beautiful', she said in a flat, toneless voice.
'You're beautiful ---- so beautiful tonight', Bryan muttered roughly, almost as though the words were dragged from him against his will.
Sharon lifted her head and looked into his dark face and her eyes were suddenly filled with tears.
Bryan swore softly. 'I didn't I tend to see you again', and his eyes were violent and his voice bitter.
Sharon froze. 'Let me go', she demanded, moving restlessly in his arms, her tears changing to a her. 'Let me go. Damn you!'
She felt unreasonably hurt by his words, shocked by the ferocity of the pain they inflicted on her. Her emotions were scraped raw by her own painful and humiliating admission that she still loved him.
'Sharon, for God's sake ....' His voice was low, vibrant with anger.
'Let me go',she repeated through clenched teeth, tearing herself from his arms and walking very quickly from the dance floor, from the room.
Her old familiarity with the place guided her steps to the large glass conservatory at the back of the house. Thankfully it was empty and dark,giving her the solitude she needed. She had only taken two steps inside when she was spurned round to face Bryan. His hands moved casually, his fingers gripping her waist, shackling her.
'Leave me alone', she told him fiercely, struggling to free herself. It was impossible and his fingers hurt, biting into her flesh, making her wince. She had not heard him behind her. He always moved so silently with the graceful menace of some wild cat.