She took a step back. If Dad hadn't sent him, then who was he? She swallowed a lump in her throat. "You didn't know? I thought..." Her voice trailed off under his angry gaze.

"You thought I should be honored?" He moved toward the door. "I'll let you two work this out. It's none of my business."

Denton crammed his hands into his pockets and his jaw muscles worked as he glared at her.

"I should have known that all you wanted was a cheap fling. And I thought you had more class than that."

Before the sting of his words had time to penetrate, Justin paused, throwing a quick jab to Denton's mouth. Denton's head jerked back and hit the wall with a sharp crack. He wiped the blood from his mouth and watched in dazed silence as Justin marched out the door.

Megan snapped her sagging jaw shut and ran to get a wet rag. How could Denton say those things about her? And what made him think Dad wouldn't approve of Justin? What did he know about Justin? One thing was sure, now Justin was convinced she was stringing him along. Why wouldn't he be? Not once had she declared any affection for him. Thanks to her unconcealed admiration of his physique, he had to be aware of her physical attraction to him, though. How could he know she didn't fulfill the reputation of a Hollywood playgirl?

She tossed the wet rag at Denton and stood looking on as he wiped the blood from his face. He was still a little dazed. No one had ever dared hit him before. Violence was no answer to a problem, but he had been inviting this for the last year. Where his career was concerned, recently he had been his own worst enemy.

Denton glowered at her. "Who was that guy?"

"I don't know. Until you came along, I thought he was someone Dad sent to keep an eye on me."

His expression went swiftly from surprise to concern.

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"Colin? He gave everybody strict orders to leave you alone. He said you needed some space to grow, but when he didn't hear from you for a week he started getting worried."

She frowned. "But when I talked to Dad..." There had been no actual admission that Dad had sent a bodyguard, only her interpretation of the conversation.

"If Dad didn't send him, then who is he - and why was he on the plane coming from California with me? Surely it couldn't be coincidence that he turned up here the day I arrived."

Denton dabbed at his mouth with the cloth and stared sourly at the blood. "How would I know. What's his name?"