page12 (1/2)
She made a face
It hy he’d conity of that kiss That arrogant, I-am-the-Lord-of-the-castle-and-you-are-my-wench kiss, which, she knew, hadn’t been a kiss at all It had been a staetting even, of telling her just what he thought of her—and it had almost worked
Caught off guard, she’d been easy prey That hy she’d let hi her Oh, if only she’d had time to make a recovery Slapped hiht where it counted
Lara gave a deep sigh and reached for the telephone
A, the effect Slade Baron had on her She was a woht a have-a-heart trap rather than send a rodent to Mouse Heaven, and now she’d spent the best part of the past teeks lying in bed at night, drifting off to sleep while she thought of ingenious ways—painful ways—to dispose of the insufferable Mr Baron
It just infuriated her that she’d stood there and see her If only she’d had time to think She wouldn’t have felt so helpless, wouldn’t have heard that roaring in her ears She definitely wouldn’t have ended up clutching his jacket as if her knees had been threatening to give way…
Lara groaned
Daive way Slade’s kiss had turned her inside out All he had to do was touch her, and she forgot why she hated hiance The pathetic male fear of commitment Not that she wanted coet that smarmy little speech he’d reat it had been and how they’d have to try to get together sometime…
Lara shut her eyes
Not that she hadn’t deserved it What she’d done—sleeping with a stranger—had been wrong Never ly…
“Stop it,” she said sharply, and punched in the number for her ho
“It’s uy?” She listened, s “That’s lovely,” she said, and turned her back to the door “Yes, please Let me speak to him”
She waited, and then her srew soft
“Michael? How are you, sweetheart?”
“Ma-ma-ma,” nine-month-old Michael babbled, and Lara’s heart melted as she heard the voice of her son
“That’s right, darling It’s Maood boy today?”
Michael babbled hed
“I miss you, too, my love I’m sorry I won’t be there to have dinner with you but I promise, we’ll have the whole weekend alone M sound into the phone “I’ll give you et home In the meantime, remember how much I love you”
She hung up the phone, sighed with pleasure—and shot to her feet at the slow,sound of applause
“Isn’t that touching?” a voice drawled
No, she thought, as she swung around, please, no…
Slade stood in the doorway, arave a little kick she refused to acknowledge, even as she wondered how ht have heard
“Such a charlad I didn’t miss it”
Stay cal here?”
“Who’s Michael?”
His voice was cold, his eyes flat Herto escape from a maze What had he overheard? And why, daain make it so hard to draw a steady breath?
She fought for coht into his eyes
“I asked you a question, Slade What are you doing here?”
“Why, Sugar Is that any way to treat a colleague?”
“My door was closed You didn’t even bother to knock”
“I knocked You didn’t answer And your guard dog isn’t at her desk” He aze locked to hers “Now it’s your turn Who’s Michael?”
Don’t back up, Lara told herself Don’t let him intimidate you
“He’s—he’s just someone I know”
Slade laughed “‘ ,’” he purred “‘You just remember how much I love you” His uest in your bed?”
“I don’t owe you any explanations That was a private conversation You had no right—”
“How many men have you been with? A dozen? A hundred?” Slade’s brows drew together Hell, as he doing? He’d come here on business, not to see this wouy naave a daet that sweet tone in her voice with the entire male population of Baltimore…