‘Finding it hard to believe your luck?’ The other doctor grinned at her. ‘You shouldn’t feel guilty. It was all done fair and square. I was the one who pulled your name out of the hat.’
But her name shouldn’t have been in the hat.
Totally appalled by the prospect of attending the conference with Jago, Katy got to her feet and knocked the chair over.
‘Hey, steady on.’ Her colleague looked at her in amusement. ‘I know you’re excited but you don’t want to injure yourself before you go.’
She didn’t wait to hear the rest of what he had to say. She needed to see Jago.
He was in his office, working on the computer, and she marched in without knocking.
‘How did my name get in that hat, Jago?’
She glared at him angrily, her irritation increasing at his total lack of reaction.
‘What hat?’
‘Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.’ Suddenly aware that they could be overheard, she closed the door firmly and stalked across to his desk. ‘I understand my name has been pulled out of the hat to go with you to Seville.’
‘Has it?’ His voice was a low drawl and he didn’t lift his eyes from the spreadsheet he was working on. ‘Don’t complain. That place was very much in demand.’
‘But not by me.’ Frustration bubbled up inside her. ‘You’re not listening to me!’
Finally he looked at her, his gaze cool. If he was playing games then there was certainly no sign of it.
She took a deep breath and tried again. ‘I didn’t put my name on that list. I don’t want to go with you to Seville.’
One dark eyebrow lifted. ‘It’s a first-class meeting with some excellent speakers,’ he said calmly. ‘You’ll find it very informative and useful.’
‘I’m sure the meeting will be great. This isn’t about the meeting.’
‘So what’s bothering you?’
He was bothering her. And he knew it.
She licked her lips. ‘Jago, I can’t go with you.’
He sprawled back in his chair, his expression mocking. ‘Am I that dangerous?’
Yes.
He gave a slow smile. ‘It doesn’t say much for your relationship with Freddie if you can’t trust yourself to be alone with me,’ he observed softly, and she coloured slightly, uncomfortable with the fact that she hadn’t corrected his assumption that her wedding was still going ahead.
Why hadn’t she?
Because she’d hoped that his belief that she was still engaged would encourage him to back off.
But she could see from the look in his eyes that he had no intention of backing off. He wanted her and he was going after her with all the ruthless determination that was so much a part of his character.
‘Let yourself go, Katy,’ he advised. ‘Be yourself. Stop trying to be what your parents want you to be.’
Wasn’t that what Libby and Alex were always saying?
‘I am myself,’ she said finally, her mouth dry and her heart pumping hard at the mere thought of being alone on foreign soil with Jago.
‘Then, in that case, there isn’t a problem, is there?’ With a cool smile he reached across his desk and handed her a file. ‘The flights and accommodation are all arranged and the programme is in there—you might like to look at it. I’m presenting on the first day but it runs for four days in total.’
Four days in Jago’s company?
Her mind numb, she took the file, still wondering how her name had come to be added to the list. Jago hadn’t admitted that he’d been responsible but he hadn’t exactly denied it either. And the question was academic now. She could hardly refuse to go without drawing attention to herself. The other doctors saw it as a fantastic opportunity to catch up on the latest developments in the field of emergency medicine and if it had just been about the conference she would have been excited, too.
But it wasn’t about the conference.
It was about being alone with Jago. Jago, who wanted nothing more than to resume their physical relationship—something that would lead to yet more heartbreak.
Would she have the willpower to resist him?
CHAPTER EIGHT
EXACTLY three days later Katy found herself standing on the balcony of a hotel in the Spanish city of Seville.
The heat of the summer sun, even so late in the afternoon, was almost unbearable and she retreated into the welcome cool of her suite.
Stepping away from the balcony, she stared in awe at the room again, wondering how she could possibly have been booked into anything so sumptuous.
This was the first time she’d attended a medical conference in her career, but she’d assumed that relatively junior doctors like herself usually had to make do with pretty humble accommodation.
But there was nothing humble about her room. It reflected the Moorish influence on the city, with a décor so opulent that it made her feel as though she should be dressed in seven veils and prepared for a harem.
As she reached for her suitcase, there was a knock on the door and one of the hotel staff delivered her a letter.
Surprised, she tore it open and immediately recognised the bold, black scrawl.
‘Be ready at 7. Jago.’
Her fingers tightened on the note and her heart rate sped into the distance. It was typical of Jago to arrogantly assume she’d be willing to spend an evening with him. And equally typical for him not to disclose what he had in mind.
The conference didn’t officially start until tomorrow, but she knew that there was a welcoming dinner for the delegates.
He must be planning to escort her to that.
Suddenly she had butterflies in her stomach. She shouldn’t go with him. She really, really shouldn’t …
But she’d been planning to attend the dinner anyway and it would certainly be more relaxing to be with someone she knew, she reasoned. And they’d be surrounded by other delegates. What could possibly happen?
Helplessly acknowledging just how much she wanted to spend an evening with Jago, she gave a sigh.
Why not?
Just one evening and she’d make sure that she slept in her own room at the end of the night.
Not wanting to dwell on her decision for too long, she glanced at her watch.
If he was collecting her at seven then she had less than two hours to find something suitable to wear and get ready for the evening, and she hadn’t even had time to unpack yet.
She opened her case and gave a gasp of surprise.
Instead of the businesslike dresses and co-ordinates that she’d packed in blacks and other muted colours, the case contained what appeared to be an entire summer wardrobe in vibrant, eye-catching colours and designs.
At first she thought that there’d been a mix up with her luggage but then she saw the note attached to the inside of the case.
‘Time to stop locking yourself away. Enjoy. Love, Libby and Alex.’
She sat down on the