Page 59 of Hot & Heavy

"If a stove makes you swoon, I wonder what you'll think of this." He opened the door of a very large box made of the same white material as the stove. Out came a blast of cold air.

She jumped back, frightened at first. "What is it?"

"A fridge for keeping food cold. So it won't spoil." He took out a piece of cheese from the lower section to show her. Then he pointed to the frozen meat in the top section.

"I am so confused," she said, sitting down on a wooden chair.

"You can say that again."

"Where am I?"

"San—"

"Not that," she interrupted. "I mean, what strange land is this? I ran away from an Arab man whose family lived in a tent, and end up here in a land of magic. I just do not understand."

"Me neither." Once again, disbelief and disgust rang in his voice. "Well, I'll leave you here to drool. I've gotta go next door and get my roommate." He was opening the back door.

"A roommate? Someone lives here with you?"

He laughed. "You could say that. Her name is Samantha."

"Will Samantha object to my being here?"

"We shall see." The brute had a mischievous gleam in his eye.

Madrene was in shock.

He has a woman.

But he told me he was not married.

He married me.

It must be his lover.

Oh, what am I going to do? I must needs find another place to stay.

She walked through the house again, touching polished woods, and fine bed coverlets, admiring the showering stall in the bathing chamber, lying down on the solar carpet to see if it was as soft as it appeared. But her heart had gone out of her newfound joy.

He has a woman.

Worst of all, Madrene realized it wasn't just for practical reasons that she was so devastated. Somehow, somewhere these past few days, she had become attached to the lout. Not just attached. Attracted.

Should I leave?

Where shall I go?

Just then the back door opened, then slammed. He was back. With Samantha. Madrene stood in the hall corridor near the front door, waiting.

Ian came in and with him was … a cat!

A big fat cat that could be the sister of her own Rose. A lump formed in her throat. The man had a cat.

How would she ever resist a man who cherished a cat?

"Maddie, I would like you to meet Samantha. The most ornery cat in the universe. Sam, this is Maddie, the most ornery woman in the universe."

Sam hissed at him as if she understood, jumped out of his arms and walked over to rub against Madrene's legs.