look flicker across her face and he softened, the
corner of his mouth kicking upward in gentle amusement. "It’s all right, honey,
I’ll help you with your crazy project. But in turn I’d like a little trust. I
won’t lay a hand on you tonight if that’s the way you want it. But I don’t want
to be sent packing to some hotel just because you’ve tired of the evening’s fun
and games."
"It wasn’t that way at all," she protested, hurt in spite of herself by his
assessment "I never intended you to spend the night, Jed."
"When I first arrived earlier today, I never intended that either," he
murmured. "But somehow during dinner it began to seem like a good idea."
"I don’t see what major shifts occurred over the cracked crab," she
complained heatedly.
"I got a chance to know you a little better," he smiled.
"You mean you decided you had a chance of getting a convenient bedmate for
the night."
"That," he drawled, "would have been a pleasant bonus, but it’s not the
reason I’ve decided to spend the night here."
‘‘Then what is? You’re just being difficult? Contrary? Trying to show me I
don’t hold the upper hand? Go on, Jed, tell me exactly why you’re blackmailing
me into letting you spend the night." she flared.
He hesitated consideringly. "It’s a bit hard to explain," he finally allowed.
"I’ll bet it is! Especially after all those disapproving remarks about my
shallow, superficial values."
"All of which still hold true," he grinned.
"Jed Merlin, I’m on the verge of losing my temper completely. I suggest you
talk and talk fast, or you’re going to be out the door, regardless of how badly
I want your help."
"Am I, Lacey?" He moved slightly, far enough to prop himself against the
white wall, and his eyes roved over her form. "Are you really going to call my
bluff? Throw me out in a fit of pique? Somehow I don’t think so."
"You think I want that diamond pendant so badly I’ll put up with your
overbearing behavior?" she asked acidly, aware of -a new wariness in her nervous
system as she watched him carefully.
"Perhaps," he mused.
"Or do you believe I’m so attracted to the man I created this afternoon that
I’ll tolerate his arrogance?" she challenged.
"Perhaps."
"Of all the . . ." she began, outraged.
He cut off the angry flow of words with a purring growl Quite suddenly the
panther in him was very evident "Or perhaps there’s more to this situation than
you’ve seen fit to explain, Lacey. Something about your little game doesn’t ring
true, honey, and I was always intrigued by interesting puzzles."
In the tense instant that followed his words, Lacey tried to hide the impact
they’d had on her. What sort of wild guesses was he making about this whole
mess?
The possibility of his perceiving more than she had ever intended introduced
a new factor into the equation and it alarmed her.
"The blankets," she told him with the hauteur of one who is trying to leave
the battlefield with dignity intact, "are in the hall closet. You’ll love them.
They’re black. So are the towels."
4
It was the rattle of her white china that awakened Lacey the next morning. As
she came slowly awake, her tired brain trying to figure out why she could hear
the clatter of dishes when she herself was not in the kitchen and the bedroom
door was thrust open.
She sat up abruptly with a sheet clutched to her throat in a classic pose.
Her hazel eyes widened, framed by her sleep-tousled hair as she saw Jed come to
a halt in the doorway.
He blinked lazily, taking in his surroundings with an air of obvious
surprise. "You’ll have to forgive me," he murmured, coming toward her with a cup
and saucer in hand. "For a minute there I thought I’d accidentally walked into
the wrong bedroom."
"You have," Lacey managed grimly. "Mine."
"If it’s yours, I’m in the right place," he grinned unperturbedly, placing
the cup of steaming coffee down on the gilded nightstand. "But
corner of his mouth kicking upward in gentle amusement. "It’s all right, honey,
I’ll help you with your crazy project. But in turn I’d like a little trust. I
won’t lay a hand on you tonight if that’s the way you want it. But I don’t want
to be sent packing to some hotel just because you’ve tired of the evening’s fun
and games."
"It wasn’t that way at all," she protested, hurt in spite of herself by his
assessment "I never intended you to spend the night, Jed."
"When I first arrived earlier today, I never intended that either," he
murmured. "But somehow during dinner it began to seem like a good idea."
"I don’t see what major shifts occurred over the cracked crab," she
complained heatedly.
"I got a chance to know you a little better," he smiled.
"You mean you decided you had a chance of getting a convenient bedmate for
the night."
"That," he drawled, "would have been a pleasant bonus, but it’s not the
reason I’ve decided to spend the night here."
‘‘Then what is? You’re just being difficult? Contrary? Trying to show me I
don’t hold the upper hand? Go on, Jed, tell me exactly why you’re blackmailing
me into letting you spend the night." she flared.
He hesitated consideringly. "It’s a bit hard to explain," he finally allowed.
"I’ll bet it is! Especially after all those disapproving remarks about my
shallow, superficial values."
"All of which still hold true," he grinned.
"Jed Merlin, I’m on the verge of losing my temper completely. I suggest you
talk and talk fast, or you’re going to be out the door, regardless of how badly
I want your help."
"Am I, Lacey?" He moved slightly, far enough to prop himself against the
white wall, and his eyes roved over her form. "Are you really going to call my
bluff? Throw me out in a fit of pique? Somehow I don’t think so."
"You think I want that diamond pendant so badly I’ll put up with your
overbearing behavior?" she asked acidly, aware of -a new wariness in her nervous
system as she watched him carefully.
"Perhaps," he mused.
"Or do you believe I’m so attracted to the man I created this afternoon that
I’ll tolerate his arrogance?" she challenged.
"Perhaps."
"Of all the . . ." she began, outraged.
He cut off the angry flow of words with a purring growl Quite suddenly the
panther in him was very evident "Or perhaps there’s more to this situation than
you’ve seen fit to explain, Lacey. Something about your little game doesn’t ring
true, honey, and I was always intrigued by interesting puzzles."
In the tense instant that followed his words, Lacey tried to hide the impact
they’d had on her. What sort of wild guesses was he making about this whole
mess?
The possibility of his perceiving more than she had ever intended introduced
a new factor into the equation and it alarmed her.
"The blankets," she told him with the hauteur of one who is trying to leave
the battlefield with dignity intact, "are in the hall closet. You’ll love them.
They’re black. So are the towels."
4
It was the rattle of her white china that awakened Lacey the next morning. As
she came slowly awake, her tired brain trying to figure out why she could hear
the clatter of dishes when she herself was not in the kitchen and the bedroom
door was thrust open.
She sat up abruptly with a sheet clutched to her throat in a classic pose.
Her hazel eyes widened, framed by her sleep-tousled hair as she saw Jed come to
a halt in the doorway.
He blinked lazily, taking in his surroundings with an air of obvious
surprise. "You’ll have to forgive me," he murmured, coming toward her with a cup
and saucer in hand. "For a minute there I thought I’d accidentally walked into
the wrong bedroom."
"You have," Lacey managed grimly. "Mine."
"If it’s yours, I’m in the right place," he grinned unperturbedly, placing
the cup of steaming coffee down on the gilded nightstand. "But
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