He studied her for a long moment, apparently debating whether to go or stay, and finally crossed to the desk. Propping a hip on the edge, he studied what she was doing for several moments in silence.
“Designing?”
“Mmm,” Amaryllis said absently. Ordering the computer to save and close, she got up and stretched her cramped muscles.
“What is this sudden interest in clothing?”
Amaryllis looked at him in surprise. “I need something to occupy my time.”
His eyes narrowed, then moved pointedly to her rounded belly. “Forgive me for being blunt, but from what I’ve observed you don’t seem to be having a lot of trouble finding something to occupy yourself with—and you may have more than you can handle when that little seed comes to fruition.”
Amaryllis stared at him for a full minute while outrage slowly poured through her, finally erupting. “Seed? It’s not a seed, damn you! It’s a child—a part of this family unit—just as you’re supposed to be. Is that what this is all about?” she asked tightly. “The child? Or is it because I welcome my partners?”
“This what?” he responded coolly.
Amaryllis narrowed her eyes at him. Striding up to him, she poked the center of his chest with one index finger. “The cold shoulder you’ve been giving me, because if it is, let me tell you, you can stuff it! I didn’t have any decision in any of this—not in coming here in the first place and not in contracting. Nobody forced you in to it. Nobody begged you. Youdemandedto take part—and I’m doing my best to cope, which isn’t at all easy by damn, whatever the hell you seem to think. And,yes, I do enjoy sex with my partners and I’m sure as hell not going to apologize for it! Because I care for Reese, and Dante … and you! But if that isn’t good enough for you, then I’ll tell Reese and Dante you’ve changed your mind and want out of the arrangement.”
He caught her as she moved to go around him, pulling her flush against his body. She looked up at him angrily.
“All that passion—for me alone?”
Amaryllis made a growling sound. “Don’t tempt me, Cain.”
He stared at her a long moment. “But you don’t mind tempting me, do you, baby?”
The question knocked the wind out of her. “I don’t know what you mean,” she said evasively.
“I think you do. I think that little display last night was to see what buttons you needed to push.”
He was so perceptive sometimes it was downright scary.
Or maybe she was just that damned transparent? Embarrassing thought.
She thought it over for several moments. “Did I push the right one?” she asked sweetly.
Amusement entered his eyes. “I’d suggest a little more subtlety and a little less bite, but that was a good effort at sarcasm—you did want to, then?”
Amaryllis blinked, mentally grinding her teeth. He’d been on a fishing expedition and she’d landed right in his net. She should have known. Tricky bastard!
She pulled free. “Actually, I netted what I wanted,” she said haughtily, and stalked from the room. He caught up with her in the hallway, caught her totally off guard, swinging her off her feet. By the time her world had stopped spinning, he was halfway up the stairs.
“Exactly what do you call yourself doing?” she demanded indignantly.
He gave her a look. “Consummating our agreement.”
Considering his mood, that was a rather unnerving thought.
She remembered suddenly something her mother had said to her—‘Be careful what you wish for’.
She hadn’t wanted it to be like this, though, she realized with perfect clarity. She’d wanted him to make love her, not have sex with her.
She had no grounds to object, unfortunately, particularly since she’d goaded him into it—threatened to terminate the agreement.
When he dropped her on her bed, she eyed him warily as he stripped the loincloth from his body, placed a knee upon the mattress and crawled toward her like a cat stalking its prey. Her heart was beating so frantically it felt as if it was trying to achieve light speed.
She jerked nervously when he slipped the straps of her top from her shoulders so that her breasts spilled into his hands. He hesitated, his gaze moving from her breasts to her eyes. After a long moment, he dropped onto the bed beside her. Scooping her up, he gathered her close, stroking her back. She heard him swallow. “You were right. I have a nasty temper.”
Amaryllis lifted her head to look at him. “You’re not angry anymore?”
