Read Online A Taste of Honey by Iris Leach - Free Book Online

loved each other enough to make a life, and now we’re both responsible for that life. To take care and protect our child.” He stared at his hands. “There’s only you and your father, isn’t there?”
    Miserable, she nodded. “Yes.”
    “How would he take you having a baby and not being married?”
    “He’d be delighted about the baby,” she said. Her shoulders slumped. “He wouldn’t like it for me.”
    “I didn’t think he would. So the right thing for all is for us to marry.”
    “Right thing?” she exploded. “You have such a nasty way of putting things.”
    He stirred in his chair. “Hey, look, this isn’t my idea of fun.”
    “You think I want to be tied to you, think again, mister.”
    “Married to you? Why it’d be simpler and saner to marry Medusa. All I need with her is a blindfold. With you I’d need the strength of Hercules double-folded.”
    “And you think I’m drooling at the corners of my mouth at the thought of being tied to you?” Charli snapped. “Get real. And don’t think for one moment that I’m going to consider this ridiculous proposal. I have no intention of marrying you or anyone for that matter. I could think of nothing worse. You’re rude, insufferable, and utterly arrogant. I’d rather marry a Martian with a horn for a head than marry you.”
    “Please be quiet for at least a minute. Ever since I’ve met you, you’ve had something to say and most of it never made any sense.”
    Charli shook her head. “This is ridiculous. I can’t believe I’d — you’d — ”
    “Shut up,” he yelled and then drew in a deep breath. “Sorry about the yelling. Our baby needs a daddy. And, at this time in your life, you need protection. I can offer both. We could make a go of this if we remain cool and logical.”
    “I agree the baby needs a father, it’s marrying you that sticks in my neck.”
    “I’d never intended getting married again. Once, believe me, was truly enough. Have you got any romantic ideas about love and marriage?”
    Yes, I have. I want someone who’ll court me until I fall for him and he falls in love with me. I want someone who’ll love me forever. We’ll eat popcorn and potato chips watching television, I want dogs and cats and fish in a bowl and I want us to go bowling every Friday night. And when the kids are asleep in bed, I want to be with him in front of a roaring fire and make love.
“No.”
    “Good, good. Let’s look at this logically — .”
    Only the facts, ma’am. “Logic is so far better a word than romantic.”
    “What?”
    “I want my job back as CE.” She studied her fingernails.
    “What? No way.”
    “Then no deal.” She stood.
    He waved her back to her seat. “If I agree then you’ll marry me?”
    Then, before she could control the words, she said, “You don’t love me.”
    “Now you’re being childish. Love doesn’t enter the equation. This marriage will work out because it lacks love. Don’t you see? Can’t you understand? There’s no pretense about love. This is an arrangement for both business and — ”
    “You were going to say pleasure,” she cut in.
    “You’d be hard to resist; you’re a beautiful woman.”
    “That’s made my day.”
    “Look, I’m only trying to help make the situation bearable.”
    “Bearable? Hell, you have a way with words. A nasty way.”
    His eyes flashed sparks of chipped emeralds, but his voice was passive when he spoke. “And you’re Miss Sweetness and Light, I suppose, who wouldn’t hurt a fly?”
    She sprung out of her chair, her fingers spread, her nails flashing. “Why you — you rat.”
    He followed suit, almost rushing around the table to stand in front of her. “That’s what you want to hear, isn’t it? That makes you feel virtuous about the whole affair. The poor innocent maiden forced to marry the wicket tyrant. Well, if that’s what it takes to get you to marry me, okay, I can live with that.”
    He towered over her and the sheer nearness of him