‘None of them were right for the cosmetics,’ he added mockingly as he saw her pensive expression.
‘Did you test them all personally?’ she heard herself ask waspishly.
‘Photographically?’ he drawled tauntingly, his eyebrows raised mockingly. ‘Yes.’
She mentally berated herself for showing her jealousy so plainly, knowing Joel was aware of exactly how she felt, that he was elated by it. Damn!
‘Regretting your decision, Lindsay?’ He sat on the edge of her desk, dangerously close, his tangy aftershave discernible to her. ‘It isn’t too late to change your mind, you know,’ he encouraged throatily.
‘My notice stands, thank you.’ She was deliberately obtuse, knowing that wasn’t the decision he was talking about.
His eyes darkened to tawny slits, and he stood up, pushing her letter into the hip pocket of his trousers. ‘Bring me in the file on all the models I’ve used the last five years,’ he instructed her curtly.
Her brows rose. ‘All of them?’
‘That’s what I said, didn’t I?’ he snapped.
‘Yes …’
‘Then do it,’ he rasped rudely. ‘And don’t keep me waiting all day!’ The door slammed after him as he went back into his studio.
‘Was that the bastard I know and love?’ drawled an amused voice from the doorway.
‘Cally!’ Lindsay cried excitedly, getting up to hug the newcomer enthusiastically. ‘When did you get back to town?’
‘Over the weekend,’ the other woman smiled. ‘I thought I’d look in on my tormentor of the last four years. How is he?’ she asked lightly.
Lindsay gave a rueful grimace at the firmly closed studio door. ‘As charming as usual!’ she said dryly. ‘But don’t let’s talk about Joel,’ she dismissed abruptly. ‘Tell me how you like married life.’
Cally Robin had been Joel’s top model until two months ago when she had met, and as quickly married, an up-and-coming Member of Parliament, much to the surprise of her friends, and much to the annoyance of Joel when she informed him she was giving up modelling to help her husband in his career. Joel and Cally had had an affair once, years ago, and Cally was one of the few women he now called friend. Lindsay had been a little jealous of their relationship to begin with, but as the warmth and friendliness of Cally soon overflowed to her too she had no reason to do so.
‘I love it,’ Cally answered, her blue eyes sparkling, her red hair a glowing cloud about her shoulders. ‘David has to be the most wonderful man in the world,’ she added dreamily.
‘I thought he was rather handsome when I met him at the wedding,’ Lindsay smiled teasingly.
‘Keep your hands off,’ Cally warned jokingly. ‘I have enough trouble fighting off all his female constituents, without having to worry about you too! So what’s wong with Joel?’ she sobered. ‘He sounded as if he was being a bear.’
Lindsay shrugged. ‘He’s no worse than usual,’ she prevaricated, knowing that Joel hadn’t been like this with her since before she moved in with him.
‘And heaven knows that’s bad enough!’ Cally grimaced. ‘What—or should I say who—has upset him?’
Lindsay sighed. ‘I have a feeling it was me.’
‘Yes?’ Blue eyes widened in surprise. ‘Are you telling me he still rants and raves at you?’
Lindsay stiffened, her expression uncertain. ‘Still?’ she enquired softly.
Cally patted her hand understandingly. ‘You mustn’t mind that I know the two of you are living together—Joel just happened to let it slip one day,’ she explained gently.
‘Oh,’ said Lindsay dully. ‘Then perhaps I should tell you that we aren’t, not any longer.’
Cally frowned at this. ‘Since when?’
‘Since I moved out.’
‘You did?’ The other woman was obviously surprised that she had been the one to end the relationship. ‘That must have been a surprise for poor Joel,’ she added questioningly.
‘You could say that,’ Lindsay grimaced.
‘Oh, I do,’ Cally nodded, looking thoughtful. ‘The way he was talking it was a permanent arrangement.’
‘As permanent as anything can be with a man like Joel,’ Lindsay derided.
‘No, I mean it,’ Cally said, perfectly seriously. ‘I really thought this was “it” for him.’
‘If you mean love, Cally, then you should know him better than that,’ said Lindsay flatly.
‘He still has that problem, hmm?’ Cally nodded shrewdly.
Lindsay gave her a sharp, probing look. ‘What problem?’
‘He doesn’t know how to accept or give love.’
Her expression was dejected. ‘How can you accept or give something you don’t know exists!’
‘Oh, Lindsay,’ Cally was all sympathy. ‘Don’t——’
‘What the hell is delaying you, Lindsay?’ Joel suddenly appeared in the studio doorway, his eyes narrowing as he saw Cally perched provocatively on the side of Lindsay’s desk. ‘I might have known you had something to do with it,’ he snapped. ‘What’s wrong, has married life begun to pall already?’ he taunted.
Cally stood up, smoothing down the skirt of her dress with deliberate slowness before walking over to kiss him lingeringly on the mouth, seeming immune to his glowing displeasure. ‘Married life is wonderful,’ she gave him a mocking sideways glance. ‘I would highly recommend it.’
His mouth twisted. ‘Then you must be one of the few people who do,’ he derided. ‘And after only two months I don’t think you’ve had time to really speak with any authority.’
‘Cynic!’ she said goodnaturedly, used to his bad humour.
‘Realist.’ He shot Lindsay a telling glance. ‘I simply don’t have stars in my eyes about an institution that’s been failing for years. I’d rather get myself certified!’
Lindsay blanched, knowing the last was being said for her benefit, that Joel was making it clear once again that he would never contemplate marriage, to anyone. And that wasn’t fair, because she had never mentioned marriage to him.
‘Keep on the way you are,’ Cally drawled mockingly, ‘and I might just do it for you.’
He looked down at her with narrowed tawny eyes. ‘What do you mean?’ he bit out.
‘Lindsay tells me you’re no longer living together,’ she provoked. ‘You have to be insane to have let her escape.’
‘Cally——’
‘It was Lindsay’s decision to leave,’ Joel forcefully cut in on her dismayed response to Cally’s taunting.
‘Well, no one could think her insane for leaving you, darling,’ Cally mocked. ‘You’re virtually impossible to work with, let alone be with twenty-four hours a day.’
‘I take it this is what friends are for?’ he rasped. ‘To insult you?’
‘To tell you the truth when necessary, sweetie,’ she touched his cheek affectionately.
‘Well, today I can do without it,’ he dismissed harshly. ‘Come through to the studio if you want to talk to me, if you don’t then stop keeping my employees from their work,’ he added coldly.
Lindsay was still pale from his last dig at her. This last one made