She thought of Miles and Erica, and then of Lash.“Yes.”
“Okay, then there’s something I think you should know about me.”
Her head jerked up and she was suddenly staring at him in a still, waiting manner.Oh dear, what was he about to reveal?
Again, he sensed her fear.“Dammit, don’t look at me like that.I am not a dangerous man.I do not taunt women.I do not hurt women.I do not force women to do anything they do not want, and that includes the issue of sex.”
Startled by his bluntness, Casey blushed.“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that,” she said.
“I’m listening.”
“There won’t be any.”
Her announcement came as no surprise, but Ryder was unprepared for the sense of disappointment he felt.He chalked it up to several months of denial and let it go at that.
He shrugged.“I will abide by whatever rules you feel comfortable in setting, but I have a couple of my own.I am not your servant.I don’t take orders… but I will listen to suggestions.”
He watched her swallow a couple of times, but she remained silent.
“Well, do you have any?”
Casey blinked.“Any what?”
“Suggestions.”
“Uh…no, I don’t suppose so.”
“Okay, then that’s settled.Why don’t you start the dishes?I want to make sure the fire is out in the grill.”
He got up before he had time to see her panic again.
“Ryder?”
He turned.
She waved helplessly over the table and the dirty dishes.“I’ve never done dishes before.”
“You’ve never… !”Then he muttered beneath his breath.
“Good grief.”
“What’s wrong?”
“You’ve never done dishes.”
She hated him for that dumbfounded look he was wearing.
“That’s what I said.I also don’t do windows,” she snapped.
“And I don’t suppose you can cook, either.”
She had the grace to flush.“No.”
He groaned.
Casey was surprised at her feelings of inadequacy.She hired and fired with the best of them, bought and sold corporations without batting an eye.How dare he consider her lacking in capabilities?
“It’s not my fault,” she argued.
