No-o-o ... the whisper of breath expelled from her trembling lips did not carry the sound. His mouth came closer and closer. Couldn't he see the torment of protest in her eyes? She was not Kirsty. She was not!
But his mouth took hers with compelling hunger, and his body was pressing against hers, igniting a thousand pinpricks of awareness, awakening sexual sensations that had lain dormant for years. It had been so long since she had been held like this, kissed like this, and the turmoil of emotion that Hal had stirred tonight, begged for some release. She almost gave in to the insidious sensuality of his kiss, but she could not forget who he was.
Horror at her own vulnerability drove her hands against his shoulders. She jerked her head back and pushed some distance between them, her eyes wildly accusing him of unspeakable things.
'I'm not Kirsty!' she gasped. Her chest was heaving as if she had run a long rare.
He smiled, while his fingers stroked a featherlight caress down her flushed cheek. 'No. You're surprisingly different, Karen. I was merely starting off the getting-to-know-you process.'
All the frustration, anguish and rage which had been piling up in her demanded some outlet. 'You're the most despicable, revolting apology for a human being it's ever been my misfortune to meet, Hal Chissolm!'
'Splendid! I'm glad you feel that way. Taming you will now give me so much more satisfaction. If you decide to marry me.'
Never! The word shrieked around her mind, but she held it in with grim control. He enjoyed provoking her. He relished this cat and mouse game. Be damned if she would give him any more satisfaction than she had to! Let him flick the whip as much as he liked and she would show no reaction. That was the way to deal with him while she paid for the time she needed. She wrapped herself in icy dignity.
'I want you to go now,' she said coldly.
'Of course. You have some packing to do for the weekend.'
Hal let her go and she strode quickly for the door, needing to hurry him on his way. He followed her without another word until Karen held the front door open for him. Then he paused beside her, forcing her to lift her gaze to his. Her body screamed with tension but the grey eyes were flint-hard.
'Don't fool yourself, Karen. I hold all the cards. Six o'clock tomorrow. And be very careful with David. Much less traumatic if he can love the father who loves him. We do want what's in David's best interests, don't we?'
'Yes,' she bit out, fiercely resenting the power he was wielding.
Hal gave her cheek a derisive pat of approval; then at last he was striding away from her.
Karen watched him go with sick, helpless eyes.
Owen Chissolm's Rolls Royce stood at the kerb. The chauffeur alighted and held a door open for Hal. Wealth and power, she thought despairingly as the car drove off. She wondered what Owen thought of Hal's plans and then brushed the thought aside. Owen would not interfere; he had his son back home where he wanted him.
The car disappeared around a corner, and Karen stood alone with the darkness of the night. Her gaze lifted to a star studded sky. The pinpricks of light were so far away, unreachable. Her mind sent out a despairing message ... why, Kirsty? Why did you do it? To him and to me?
There was no answer.
CHAPTER SIX
IT WAS impossible for David to contain his excitement.No sooner had they arrived at the pre-school kindergarten centre than he was boasting to all and sundry that his father was coming home. This very night! And he and Mummy were going to stay with his father for the whole weekend.
Katen was faced with some very awkward and embarrassing questions. The women on the staff knew that she was divorced and their curiosity was aroused. A reconciliation was the common assumption. Which reminded Karen how urgently she needed to see Barry. Monday night could not come soon enough for her, not because she had a reconciliation in mind, but she needed her legal position with David clarified as soon as possible.
She had never told anyone that David was her adopted son and the relationships involving Kirsty, Hal and herself were far too complex and far too personal to be bandied about in a staff room. She fobbed off the questions by saying that David's father had been overseas for some years and they were having the weekend together to work out what was best for David's future. Her request for a leave of absence on Monday was granted with an understanding smile.
Karen was still grimacing with the irony of that very mistaken understanding as she slipped out to the public telephone box on the nearby street corner to make the call to her solicitor. Far from wanting to be with David's father, she needed the time to find out if she had any chance of fighting him and winning. In as calm a voice as she could manage, she related Hal's claims to her solicitor, asked him to doublecheck her legal position, and made an appointment to see him on Monday. The concern he expressed over the new complication did nothing to ease Karen's mind.
The fear that had been churning through her since last night took a deeper turn. If Hal's lawyers could get the adoption papers set aside then she would have to fight a straight custody case or marry Hal Chissolm. And how could she bring herself to do that when everything inside her recoiled from the idea? But the thought of losing David was even worse.
For the rest of the day Karen seethed with resentment at the choice Hal was forcing on her. It was very difficult to bear David's fever of happy anticipation as she dressed him ready for his father's arrival. She sourly wondered if Hal would live up to his son's expectation. At least he could not criticise her, part in imparting the news of his father to David.
The look on David's face as he took up a watch at his bedroom window proved that she had done Hal justice.
Which was more than Hal could say for his treatment of her, Karen thought angrily as she hurried to dress herself. Pride dictated that her appearance could not be faulted either. She needed every possible bolster to self-confidence in a situation which she sensed was beyond her ability to control. In her nervous haste she automatically chose her best dress, then with a shudder of distaste, realised that it was also green, Kirsty's favourite colour. The last thing she wanted to do was remind Hal of Kirsty. Not that she could do much to prevent it, she thought despairingly.
When she was finally ready she eyed her reflection in the mirror with a grim satisfaction. Her hair, freshly washed and blow-dried curved around her shoulders in a neat, tidy fall, its deep chestnut colour gleaming richly. A touch of green eye-shadow and a subtle eye-liner highlighted her large hazet eyes. Her mouth was perfectly lipsticked. The fine wool of the corn-yellow dress hugged her slim figure, giving a soft emphasis to her very feminine curves. She could not help looking like Kirsty, but in her own way she looked as good as she could.