Sharon felt cold indeed. What had she been thinking? How could she have allowed this arrogant man touch her the way he had? What a mess. He must think that he had her where he wanted her.
She had always known that he was dangerous to her but she had not really known the extent of the danger.
What weakness could have made her lose herself, her self control and all this way?
She could not look at him, she did not know what she would find in his eyes, mockery? scorn? triumph? condescension? She did not want to know. She just did not want anything to make her feel lower than she was already feeling just then.
'Come to my room, Sharon's, Bryan said with an urgency that made her stiffen.
She turned on him, her face white now. 'I feel sick, do you know that?' she broke out. 'You got me drunk and you knew that I was not used to drinking and you kept pouring wine into me, right the way, through dinner. You had this in mind all the time, didn't you? You set me up and it nearly worked. I almost fell for the oldest trick in the book'.
There was a silence you could have cut with a knife. His eyes turned into glittering black ice.
'You did fall for it', he drawled, admitting her accusations, mocking her. 'I could have had you if that stupid boy hadn't come past this way at the time he did.
After all these years of waiting for David to finally notice that you are a woman, you are so frustrated that you fell into my hands like a ripe peach, and I didn't even have to try very hard'.
She hot out at him, he ducked and she hurt her hand on the edge of the shop window. Gasping in pain, she shed his evening jacket, let it fall to the floor and as he be t to retrieve it,Sharon turned and ran, holding back tears, fighting not to give way to the emotions swamping her. Two minutes later, she was back in the hotel, in the safety of lights and other people.
She didn't know if Bryan followed her or not. The lift was standing open and she ran into it at once, pressed the floor button, the doors closed and she was taken up to her room.
Once she was there,behind closed doors, she could start to cry.
She cried and cried, wishing that she never had to see his arrogant face again.
She kept recalling what he had said about her being so frustrated that she had fallen into his hands like a ripe peach and that he didn't even have to try very hard.
That was exactly how he saw her.
And why not? She had shown him that she could not resist him. Immediately he grabbed her, she had opened up like a flower in spring.
She had not resisted. She had acted as though she had not had a man touch her before which explains why he feels that she was frustrated.
How was she ever going to face him now?
Early next morning, she still had to go to the conference with him and endure his cold mocking eyes. Eyes that would look condescendingly at her like a cheap call girl.
Why had she decided to go for the stroll. If she hadn't, then she probably, no definitely would not have seen the couple making out passionately and be reminded of her loneliness and Bryan would not have taken advantage of her vulnerability.
She guessed she should be thankful that the boy ran past at the time he did because had he not, she shuddered to think what would have happened.
Bryan would most probably have taken her there and then and she would have been unable to do anything except moan like a dog in heat.
Sharon slept fitfully that night.
She kept waking and imagining all that took place that evening and the words that were exchanged. Especially all the rude and degrading words that Bryan had used on her. She clearly deserved it.
Nobody had for Ed her to take too much wine nor to act wantonly with him and she who had always shown hostility towards him.
He would think that it was all a pretence.
What to do? She would just have to act as though nothing happened the previous night. Her countenance would read 'It never took place'. If he thought that he was cold and arrogant and could treat women especially her in a condescending manner, then she was going to show him that two could play the game.
She would make sure that she was as cold as an ice queen and very arrogant as well but she had to see how she could sleep so that she would be fresh both physically and mentally in the morning.
Sharon thought of David, and felt that if she failed to represent the bank well, then she had most definitely failed him and that would be giving the ultimate victory to that arrogant man who thought that he was God's gift to the womenfolk.
She slept again, this time calmer because she realised that she had a duty to perform and the task had to be successfully carried out.
She could not admit defeat. No, that was not Sharon Smith.
She woke feeling very refreshed and far better than yesterday. She got put the cloth she was going to wear. She had to look cooperate, businesslike and stern and not like a seductress.
She knew that she had slept badly but she knew that it was nothing her make up would not fix.
And another thing was that since he kept feeling that she was besotted with David, it would be wise of her to allow him to keep thinking that. That could work in her favour by helping her carry out her ice queen guise effectively.