considered in ordinary circumstances, and charming her daughter. Because to him, it was all a means to an end. She'd injured his vanity by refusing to go out with him, and only her total capitulation to him sexually would salve the wound.
He has to prove he's so bloody irresistible, she told herself savagely, feeding her resentment, banishing the traitorous thought that the girl she'd once been might well have found Rohan Grant irresistible.
But not now. So why couldn't he be content with the Serena Vances of this world, and stop tormenting her? Perhaps the clue was in the poem he's mockingly quoted at her the previous night. She'd found her copy of Browning when she was shifting her books, and she'd looked it up, despising herself as she did so.' "Me the loving",' she thought ironically. "And you the loth, While the one eludes, must the other pursue…'" Only there was no love involved, just the instincts of the hunter, intent on bringing down his prey.
The meal took much longer than she'd hoped, because Jodie discovered the fresh fruit salad she'd made, and it had to be served. She offered coffee with overt reluctance, hoping he would take the hint and leave, but he accepted with a sardonic lift of the eyebrow.
When she got back from the kitchen, she found with dismay that Jodie had produced a jigsaw, and that she and Rohan were already apparently absorbed in fitting together its frame.
She said hurriedly, 'It's too late to start that now, Jodie. It's nearly bedtime.'
'Oh, just a few minutes,' Jodie appealed. 'While Rohan has coffee,' she added beguilingly. 'And then he's going to tell me a story.'
'No, he isn't, sinner.' Rohan shook his head. 'Although he might tuck you in, if you don't make any more fuss about going to bed.'
Cass bit her lip. Those few quiet moments at the end of the day with Jodie were some of her most precious, and private. She enjoyed being with her daughter, chatting softly, soothing her into sleep with quiet laughter, banishing as far as she could night's shadows. The thought of this man, this stranger intruding into their time together was almost unbearable.
It was physically painful to her to see him with the child, winning her affection for selfish, degrading motives. She decided she would rather not watch, and went back into the kitchen, running water into the sink with angry energy.
She didn't realise she was no longer alone, until, having rinsed the last dish, she turned away to dry her hands and saw, with a start, that he was leaning in the doorway watching her, his hazel eyes inscrutable.
He said quietly, 'I notice you didn't join us.'
'I wanted to do the dishes,' she said shortly. 'And it's a very small bedroom. There's hardly room for more than one person beside Jodie.'
'That of course depends on the amount of space you require,' he said drily. 'I can see why you'd find the situation cramped.'
'Then I'd be glad if you'd carry your understanding a stage further and leave,' Cass said, hearing with panic the ragged note in her voice.
His brows lifted. 'I've met more gracious hostesses,' he said sardonically. 'Why such haste, Cass? Expecting the boyfriend?'
'No,' she denied unthinkingly, and could have bitten her tongue out.
'Then why?' he said. 'If you're as indifferent to me as you say, what the hell difference does it make whether I go or stay? What possible danger are you in?'
'None,' she said shrilly. 'I—I just prefer my own company.'
'Then you must have had an enjoyable afternoon,' he said pleasantly. 'You can't expect to have your own way all the time, Cass. Life isn't like that. Besides I'm not sure in your case that too much solitude is good for you.' He smiled at her, and she felt the unwilling pull of his attraction, of that almost charismatic sexuality which disturbed her so. 'And I know it isn't good for me.'
'On the contrary,' Cass said between her teeth. 'I think a period spent as a hermit might be extremely salutory for you.'
He laughed out loud. 'Do they
He has to prove he's so bloody irresistible, she told herself savagely, feeding her resentment, banishing the traitorous thought that the girl she'd once been might well have found Rohan Grant irresistible.
But not now. So why couldn't he be content with the Serena Vances of this world, and stop tormenting her? Perhaps the clue was in the poem he's mockingly quoted at her the previous night. She'd found her copy of Browning when she was shifting her books, and she'd looked it up, despising herself as she did so.' "Me the loving",' she thought ironically. "And you the loth, While the one eludes, must the other pursue…'" Only there was no love involved, just the instincts of the hunter, intent on bringing down his prey.
The meal took much longer than she'd hoped, because Jodie discovered the fresh fruit salad she'd made, and it had to be served. She offered coffee with overt reluctance, hoping he would take the hint and leave, but he accepted with a sardonic lift of the eyebrow.
When she got back from the kitchen, she found with dismay that Jodie had produced a jigsaw, and that she and Rohan were already apparently absorbed in fitting together its frame.
She said hurriedly, 'It's too late to start that now, Jodie. It's nearly bedtime.'
'Oh, just a few minutes,' Jodie appealed. 'While Rohan has coffee,' she added beguilingly. 'And then he's going to tell me a story.'
'No, he isn't, sinner.' Rohan shook his head. 'Although he might tuck you in, if you don't make any more fuss about going to bed.'
Cass bit her lip. Those few quiet moments at the end of the day with Jodie were some of her most precious, and private. She enjoyed being with her daughter, chatting softly, soothing her into sleep with quiet laughter, banishing as far as she could night's shadows. The thought of this man, this stranger intruding into their time together was almost unbearable.
It was physically painful to her to see him with the child, winning her affection for selfish, degrading motives. She decided she would rather not watch, and went back into the kitchen, running water into the sink with angry energy.
She didn't realise she was no longer alone, until, having rinsed the last dish, she turned away to dry her hands and saw, with a start, that he was leaning in the doorway watching her, his hazel eyes inscrutable.
He said quietly, 'I notice you didn't join us.'
'I wanted to do the dishes,' she said shortly. 'And it's a very small bedroom. There's hardly room for more than one person beside Jodie.'
'That of course depends on the amount of space you require,' he said drily. 'I can see why you'd find the situation cramped.'
'Then I'd be glad if you'd carry your understanding a stage further and leave,' Cass said, hearing with panic the ragged note in her voice.
His brows lifted. 'I've met more gracious hostesses,' he said sardonically. 'Why such haste, Cass? Expecting the boyfriend?'
'No,' she denied unthinkingly, and could have bitten her tongue out.
'Then why?' he said. 'If you're as indifferent to me as you say, what the hell difference does it make whether I go or stay? What possible danger are you in?'
'None,' she said shrilly. 'I—I just prefer my own company.'
'Then you must have had an enjoyable afternoon,' he said pleasantly. 'You can't expect to have your own way all the time, Cass. Life isn't like that. Besides I'm not sure in your case that too much solitude is good for you.' He smiled at her, and she felt the unwilling pull of his attraction, of that almost charismatic sexuality which disturbed her so. 'And I know it isn't good for me.'
'On the contrary,' Cass said between her teeth. 'I think a period spent as a hermit might be extremely salutory for you.'
He laughed out loud. 'Do they
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