A tender smile tugged at her lips as she maneuvered the child about. He looked so sweet and vulnerablein his sleep.
"But you have to stop throwing food, young man!" she whispered, bending to kiss his forehead. "You're bad for my image. You're wreaking havoc with my aura of self-control!" Still smiling, she tucked the covers about him and tiptoed out of the room. Brian and Keith had apparently given their teeth a lick and a promise. They were already downstairs, chatting away to Lee. He had made himself comfortable on the love seat, with his left ankle crossed over his knee, his arms stretched behind him.
"Brian, Keith--to bed. Now," she told them.
"Ahhhh..."
"No 'Ahhhs.'To bed."
ThankGod they chose to obey her! Rising, they gave her the usual kisses and hugs,then started for the stairs.
"Would you like to tell Mr. Condor good-night and thankhim for the meal?"
"Sure!" Brian readily agreed. "Night, Lee. Thanks for dinner."
"Night, thanks!" Keith echoed.
As soon as they started up the stairs, Bryn started to wonder why she hadn't let them stay up. Now she was alone with Lee Condor.
"Can I get you anything?" she asked him, surreptitiously glancing around the living room. Things looked pretty much in order. There were fingerprint smudges on the glass-topped coffee table, but the magazines on it were neatly stacked, and the long fingers of a philodendron hid a multitude of sins.
"Not a thing," he replied, watching her, a slight smile playing upon his lips, and that glint of golden amusement sparkling from his eyes. "Why don't you sit down for a minute?"
His eyes indicated the small space remaining on the love seat. Bryn lowered her lashes for a minute, then raised her eyes to his.
"Because I don't trust you," she answered honestly. He chuckled, and she noticed again how nice his features looked with the ease of laughter. "What's not to trust? I lay everything on the line." "Hmm. Quite on the line." "Do you still dislike me?"
"No. Yes. No. Lee, it's not a matter of like or dislike. You've been very frank about wanting to hop into bed, and I don't feel like being used that way. You were nice with the kids tonight, and I appreciate that, just like I appreciate working. But--"
"Hey, wait a minute." He had been sitting comfortably, but he was suddenly standing, gripping her arms and staring deeply into her eyes. Amusement was gone; his golden gaze was as hard as the tension about Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
his features.
"They don't coincide, Miss Keller, not in the least. I didn't buy you dinner, or be nice to the kids, in hopes of any kind of trade. I enjoy children, and frankly, a dinner check is no big deal. Yes, I still want to go to bed with you. It's a rather natural urge when a man meets a truly beautiful woman. But that doesn't mean that I want to use you. Any more than you would be using me. I'm talking about something that should be thoroughly enjoyed by both parties--that gives to each."
Whydid she have to swallow so much when he stared at her, Bryn wondered, nervously moistening her lips.Because he was right? She had felt the attraction before she had known him. And now...she could feel his heat and energy, and the soft texture of his shirt. His grip was firm, but not painful, and she could think of nothing but the touch of his hands on her arms. She had to tilt her head to meet his eyes, and his thumb moved to her chin, caressing it with a touch of rough magic. "Lee, you can probably have any number of women...." He emitted an impatient oath. "Bryn, you keep trying to label me with archaic attitudes. Do you think that all a man wants is a sound body attached to a nice face? I do not run around having indiscriminate affairs. There was something about you that fascinated me from the moment I saw you." "It's a nice line," Bryn heard herself say harshly."Line? Damn it--"
"Yes, line, damn it! Or are you swearing eternal devotion?" "Is that what you want--eternal devotion? I can't believe that. We've just met. I'm trying to get to know you better, but you're making it damned hard. Maybe there is eternal devotion in it. But how can any of us know where any path leads unless we take the first steps and then follow it?"
"I don't want to get involved!" Bryn flared. "I don't want to get--"
Hurt. That was the word. But she didn't want to say it. It had a very vulnerable sound about it.
"I don't want to get involved," she repeated coldly. Panic was setting in. The longer he stood there, the more she wanted to throw herself against him. The more excitement she felt. How exhilarating it would be to lie down beside him, to explore the taut, muscular length of his body. How nice to be with a man whose very presence spoke of strength and character, power and tenderness. To wake up beside him, feel his arms securely about her...