“Get out of my room, Philip. You have no right to be here.”
“You look exceptionally beautiful tonight, Tina,” Philip murmured. “You could tempt a man to do anything you wanted—except leave you.”
He laughed heartily.
She turned around in the tub. She couldn’t bear to look at him, his jet-black hair tousled and his crisp white shirt open to the waist baring his bronzed chest with its curls of black hair. He was the temptation! She was hard pressed not to go to him, soaking wet, and make love to him! It was what she wanted, it was what he wanted, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t bear to love him and then face his hatred again in the morning.
Twenty minutes passed. Philip said nothing, nor did Christina. Her back was to him, but she knew he still watched her.
“Philip, please—this water is getting cold,” she pleaded.
“I suggest that you get out of it,” he replied softly.
“Then leave so I can!” Christina snapped.
“You amaze me, Tina. I’ve watched you bathe a hundred times and emerge naked. You weren’t shy then, so why do you pretend to be now? We even made love once lying on the hard earth beside the bathing pond. It was you who came to me that day and—”
“Stop it!” she cried, slamming her fist down into the water. “There’s no point in talking about the past, Philip. It’s over and done with. Now leave this minute before I catch cold.”
“Was your body marred in giving birth to my son?” Philip asked. “Is that why you refuse to stand before me?”
“Of course not! My figure has regained its former shape!”
“Then stand up and prove it, Tina,” he murmured huskily.
Christina almost took the bait and started to stand up, but then she sank back down in the water even lower than before, cursing Philip under her breath. The soap bubbles had all dissolved, leaving her body open to view. Her only hope was that he wouldn’t come near her, but leave! If he so much as touched her, she knew she would give in.
Just then they heard footsteps in the corridor, and Christina froze when a light tap sounded at her door.
“Christina, I must talk to you. Christina, are you awake?”
She turned her head to look at Philip, but he was still sprawled at ease in his chair, clearly amused at her new predicament.
“Tommy, for heaven’s sake, go home! I am taking my bath now—I’ll talk to you in the morning!” she said loudly.
“I’ll wait until you are through,” Tommy called out.
“No, you won’t, Tommy Huntington!” She was more afraid than angry now. “It’s late at night. I will see you in the morning—not now!”
“Christina, this can’t wait, damn it! I will not stand that man in the house with you any longer. He has to go!”
Philip’s deep laughter rang through the room. The door swung open forcefully, slamming against the wall, and Tommy stalked into the room. Philip was still in the shadows, and Tommy had to glance about the room twice before he saw him.
Tommy, outraged, clenched his fists tightly at his sides as he looked at her, then at Philip, then back at her again. Before she could think of anything to say, Tommy let out a sickening cry and started toward Philip.
She stood up, splashing water onto the thick blue carpet.
“Stop it, Tommy!” she screamed.
Tommy halted in his tracks. His mouth fell open at the sight of her, and he completely forgot that Philip was in the room. But Philip, who had half risen to brace himself against Tommy’s attack, scowled darkly at Christina.
“Sit down, woman,” Philip growled angrily.
She did so immediately, splashing water over the sides of the tub again, and a hot blush spread across her face.
“What the hell are you doing in here, Caxton?” Tommy demanded.
“There is nothing for you to be upset about, Tommy,” Christina said soothingly. “Philip came in here just before you did—to talk to me about his son. He didn’t know that I was taking my bath when he walked in.”
